Am I Wrong
by emptyonideas
Summary: Jacob didn't want to imprint, and Shay didn't want to be imprinted on. But between Jared and Kim, the two just couldn't seem to avoid each other. Jacob/OC
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE:**

**This will be its own timeline. Bella is getting married and Jake leaves, but I tried to just plop that into my story, so the times/seasons might not be accurate.**

**Also, Jared, Paul, Jake, Kim and Shay will be seniors! **

* * *

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

* * *

Shay twisted her key in the lock, shoving open the door with her hand and dropping her suitcase with the other.

"Mom?"

Looking around, Shay could almost imagine she hadn't been home in days. Her mother would be a great spy; she was all quiet footsteps and never left a trace of herself behind. The pillows were all straight on the couch, the table void of everything except a bowl that they kept their keys in.

Shay took her boots off as a force of habit, leaving her suitcase next to them until later. She wandered farther in, her red socks sliding on the wooden floors.

"Mom?"

Still no answer. Shay couldn't hear anything, so she decided she probably wasn't home. She rubbed her stomach. She felt the same sort of tired queasiness that always plagued her after a plane ride. She walked toward the kitchen, fingers trailing beige walls.

"Mom?"

The light wasn't on. Shay flicked up the lightswitch. Her mother was unsurprisingly absent, but she'd left a note.

It was the only thing on the counter, and probably the only thing in the kitchen. Shay had inherited her mother's dark hair and eyes, but certainly not her lack of appetite. She picked up the small, lined paper.

_Working late. Money for pizza in envelope._

Shay's mother had forgotten that there was no place that delivered to their house, or maybe she'd forgotten that Shay's car had broken down (again) or maybe she was delusional and thought Shay would brave the freezing cold to bike to the pizza place, but no matter which one of these it was…her mother had simply forgotten.

Shay stood in the kitchen for a moment. Even though green was the first adjective that came to mind when she thought of La Push, everything outside was winter gray. The light filtering into her white kitchen only made everything seem sadder.

And it was so _quiet._

Sometimes she swore she could feel her insides moving in this house, like they wanted to escape her skin. She felt like letting them sometimes. Silence always reminded her of her parents. It was in the silence that everything had started to go wrong.

Determined not to let this ruin her day, Shay thought of another place she could bike, where there was bound to be warmth. And food. And some goddamn _noise._

* * *

Shay let her bike fall to the ground near the porch as she hopped up the stairs.

She'd been told numerous times to just walk in, but she still pushed the door open hesitantly and looked around.

Shay loved Kim's house. She loved the half broken rocking chair in the living room. She loved the yellow quilt that draped across the back of the couch that had a stain in the corner from Kim's pen exploding on it. She loved the photographs on the walls, even the ones that didn't hang straight, and the green pendant light in the kitchen, and the deer statue on the fireplace even though its shadows scared her at night.

Shay breathed it in and vowed her future house would be this way-used and loved and lived in and loud.

"Kim, Shay's here!"

Shay cringed at Kim's little sister. Helen's voice was like a fog horn. But in a good way. A preteen, happy, loud way. She smiled at Shay before darting back to the phone, her voice lowering as she chattered happily.

"Shay!" Kim bounded down the stairs, her hair flying in wisps behind her. "I thought you got back later."

"Couldn't miss New Year's with you, so I flew home early." _Lie._ Her dad was going out with his new wife and Shay wanted to be far away. But Shay decided to keep that to herself as Kim landed on the last stair. "How was your break?"

"Boring." She pulled Shay's sweatshirt sleeve toward the couch. "What about you?"

"Awkward," Shay shuddered, letting herself be led toward the flannel cushions. "Step monster-"

"She's not that bad," Kim cut in, giving her a look.

"Step bitch-"

"That sounds worse!" Kim interjected, but a smile tugged at her lips.

"Step terror? Step-never-calling-her-mom? Step villain?"

"What about her?"

"She organized all these activities." Shay knew this didn't sound bad, but Sandra was just hoping to fill all the moments that could be awkward. It just made things worse. "I almost lost a tooth ice skating. And it turns out, mall Santas are really creepy if you're not seven."

"I'm pretty sure they've always been creepy."

"True. It's just like...she treats me like a kid from a sitcom or something. She doesn't really grasp that I'm seventeen, and that my dad would rather wax his chest than have an actual conversation with me."

Kim frowned. She preferred to see the better in people and the bright side of things. Shay had countless lectures on how she 'shouldn't talk that way' because she was 'a great daughter' and her 'parents were just angry at themselves and not her'. Shay cut her off before her mouth opened to spill out rainbows and puppies and other nice things that would undoubtedly make her feel bad for trash talking her new step mother.

"Can we go upstairs?"

Shay nodded toward Helen, whose volume had grown on the telephone, and Kim nodded, her words lost.

"So how was your grandma's birthday?" Shay asked, seeking to change the subject.

"Fine. She insisted on pineapple upside down cake, which nobody likes except for her."

"Anything else interesting happen there?"

"Well, we went to the diner for dinner. And Jared and his friends were there."

Kim blushed, and Shay grinned. Kim had had a crush on Jared since she could remember. Jared, the russet skinned, handsome boy in her history class who had yet to really look at Kim.

It was one of Shay's greater goals in life to make Kim happy. Kim, who had been her friend when she was twelve and awkward and gangly and the new girl. She would be completely alone without her.

Therefore, Jared would see how amazing Kim was even if Shay had to pummel him.

"Did you guys talk?" Shay prodded, as Kim shouldered open her pink bedroom door.

"Define 'talk'," Kim said, ducking away from Shay's gaze and settling on her white bedspread.

"It's typically when you open your mouth and actual words come out," Shay laughed, sitting across from Kim and crossing her legs.

"Well I kind of waved. And by wave, I mean I started to wave and he didn't see me so I pretended to have an itch on my head."

"Kim," Shay groaned, grabbing her friend's knees and shaking them.

"I know, I'm the worst," Kim groaned back, covering her face with her thin fingers. "But I was with my whole family. I would have died if he'd talked to me anyway."

Shay rolled her eyes.

"I did overhear them a little. Apparently, Jacob Black skipped town," Kim offered, tempting Shay away with gossip. "Heartbroken."

"Heartbroken by who?" Shay asked, raising an eyebrow. She'd gone to school with Jacob Black, knew his name and face, but he was older and she hadn't really talked to him since...well, probably ever, come to think of it.

"Some girl from Forks. He's in love with her and now she's getting married."

"Wow," Shay said, frowning. "A little young."

"I thought so," Kim said, absentmindedly playing with the ends of her hair. "It's kind of sad though. He left La Push just to get away from it."

Shay shrugged. Except for a minor crush she currently held on Simon Hote, the brother of her self-proclaimed enemy Kala, she had no romance in her life.

She'd certainly never felt a love so bad she wanted to skip town. But seeing her parent's desolate marriage, and seeing the pain on Kim's face when Jared ignored her, Shay couldn't help but feel like maybe it was for the best that she'd never been in love. What did she really need with it anyway?

* * *

A few hours later, Shay looked Kim, the eraser of her pencil dangling near her mouth. She squinted at her, as if that would help make her list grow longer. Kim's eyes flicked up to her gaze, and suddenly her cheekbones were even more prominent as she moved her mouth to stick her tongue out.

"Stop staring at me."

"I'm just thinking, and your head happens to be in the way."

Kim rolled her eyes and continued scratching down her list with her own pencil, which was nowhere near her mouth. Shay bit her lip and smiled, looking at her pad of paper.

Every year her and Kim would write down New Year's resolutions for each other. It was easier, somehow, than doing it for themselves. Plus, it was fun to see what they wanted each other to do. No matter what happened, even if it was December 31st, they had each completed each other's lists every year.

In a few minutes, Kim triumphantly stopped scribbling, holding her pad in the air.

"Done!"

"Okay, give me yours first."

Kim handed Shay her torn out list, Shay looking down at Kim's small, precise handwriting.

**Shay's New Year's Goals**

**1\. Enter the writing contest in school**

**2\. Make a new friend (But not better than her best friend)**

**3\. Get revenge on Kala once and for all**

**4\. Drive a functioning car**

**5\. Pass gym class**

"Kim, that's no fun," Shay growled, throwing her list aside. "They're so serious. And attainable."

"That's the point, Shay!" Kim fixed her with a look. "Why? What'd you write on mine?"

"Um...nothing," Shay said, snatching her list before Kim could grab it. "Give me another minute."

"No, I want to see!" Kim's hands were moving towards her as she almost pulled out her back twisting in the other direction.

"Just, let me add a few more!" Shay protested, hitting away her arms.

"You were writing for five minutes, what does it say?"

Shay was about to get to her feet when Kim plucked the book from her hands, turning it over to see Shay's not as lovely or nice handwriting.

Kim frowned, her cheeks glowing bright despite her skin being many shades darker than Shay's.

"Seriously?"

Shay grinned sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders.

"I thought that was attainable."

Shay ducked as Kim threw the book at her head.

"Alright, alright, we'll make you a new list!" Shay defended, laughing as she held her hands up in surrender. Kim's glare only increased as she chuckled. "Um...try out for track? Take a trip! Go shopping more!"

Kim continued to stare at her.

"Uh...read more books! Go to a concert! Visit colleges with her very best friend in the whole wide world?"

Kim's look softened-it always did-poor girl couldn't hold a grudge. It was one of their main differences. Shay realized she was winning, and grabbed Kim's arm, pulling her up.

"It's almost midnight. Let's make some popcorn and watch the ball drop, and write down your new list?" Shay smiled hopefully, nudging Kim's shoulder.

"Okay," Kim conceded, finally smiling at her, but not without an eye roll.

Shay smiled back, linking her arm with Kim. Just for good measure, she toed the book she'd written in far away, so it almost slid under the bookshelf.

But, if anyone came in at that moment, they'd see Shay's list for Kim, written in large, looping letters.

_Kim's New Year's Resolutions_

_1\. Make out with Jared Cameron_

_2\. Make out with Jared Cameron_

_3\. Make out with Jared Cameron_

_4\. Make out with Jared Cameron_

_5\. Make out with Jared Cameron_

* * *

**So there it is! Just a short beginning. I know the kind of Jake resisting imprinting is around, but I've been playing around with it in my head.**

**Should I keep going? Let me know your thoughts! **


	2. Chapter 2

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."

-Alan Watts

* * *

School was one thing Shay didn't miss over the break. Well, to be fair on school, Shay really just hated waking up early. And having to look at Kala Hote's face. And gym class.

But she trudged through the hallway anyway, because she was a senior, and every day here meant one day closer to freedom. She could shoulder through a few months. Hopefully. If Kim kept her sane.

At least it was lunch time. And _finally_ Friday.

Shay headed to her table, carefully placed near the window, giving a nice view of the sun...or clouds. Whichever happened to be going on the moment. (Right now, it was clouds. Okay, it was almost always clouds.)

Shay settled into her chair, plopping the sad looking turkey sandwich she'd taken from her house onto the round wood table.

"I wish I had put cheese on you, sandwich," Shay said regretfully, poking the thin bread with her finger. "And I really wish I hadn't squished you under _Moby Dick_."

"Do you always talk to yourself when I'm not around?"

Kim smirked at her as she sat in the chair opposite, flinging her tray down. She'd opted to buy lunch today. Shay wasn't sure which was the lesser of two evils.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Shay grinned, opening up the pitiful sandwich bag.

"It's a wonder we sit alone."

"If you think I'm bringing you down, feel free to cut me loose," Shay said, watching Kim's hair fall in her face as she inspected the pizza she'd just gotten. She frowned and dabbed at the grease with a napkin.

"So something weird happened today," Kim said, ignoring Shay's joke.

Shay's eyes prodded Kim to continue, which she did, with her eyes wide and hopeful. Her fingers left her pizza to clutch the edge of the table as she leaned forward.

"Jared looked at me."

Shay raised an eyebrow, but that was it. The big reveal.

"I'm going to need some elaboration, Kimster." Shay crossed her arms and ignored her sandwich, focusing on her nearly combusting friend.

Kim consented with a long breath.

"Well, first of all...does he look bigger to you? He was sick, you know, this week. Or I assumed he was because he was absent. And he did seem sweaty today. Or hot at least. Well anyway, he seemed different to me, so I was looking at him. And then he looked at _me_. I don't mean like a passing glance...I mean like, full on staring."

"Did you drug him?"

Kim blushed, ducking her head down with a frown.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Because the only way a guy could stare at me is if I drugged him?"

"That's not what I meant! I meant, because he was acting goofy," Shay backpedaled. "I was kidding! You know I was."

"I know," Kim said quietly, tracing the woodgrain of the table with her finger.

"So what do you mean?" Shay pushed on. "How was his expression?"

"Kind of dazed," Kim said, her voice soft. "Like he was really surprised to see me?"

"Did you pop up out of nowhere?" Shay asked confusedly.

"No! I was sitting next to him the whole period. But I'm just being stupid. He didn't even talk to me, he just ran out of the classroom. Maybe I had something weird on my face."

Kim retreated into her school mode, shy and not confident. Shay hated it, and resolved to bring her back.

"Well I bet he realized you're the prettiest girl here. And that you're smart and down to earth. And that you're awesome, and he should probably date you as soon as possible-"

"Shay! Stop." Kim rolled her eyes, but her spine straightened so Shay grinned widely.

"Kimberly Anne, are we going to have another pep talk or am I going to have to hurt you?"

"Your middle name is Anne?"

Shay almost wished she'd been filming this conversation, if just to capture the look on Kim's face. There was no way Shay could describe the utter horror and excitement that passed through Kim's features. Her dark skin grew rosy as she sent Shay a horrified look.

Shay grinned back, hoping to encourage Kim. She doubted Jared heard what they were talking about. Hopefully.

Except Kim didn't answer. Jared had stopped at the edge of their table, lunch tray dwarfed by his hands. Kim's back was to him, but she'd yet to turn around.

To save her best friend from looking like a gulping fish, Shay turned her attention to this absolutely bigger, muscular version of Jared, who was standing there suddenly looking very out of place.

"Yes, Kimberly Anne, except only I call her that, and only under special circumstances," Shay clarified, giving Jared a look. "Right Kim?"

Jared seemed to relax as a conversation was stricken up. Kim continued to be a contrast of expressions-this time it was both relieved and mortified. Shay sent her a look to use her words. Her and Kim had perfected a series of unspoken gestures over the years.

"My mom too," Kim squeaked out. "But only when I'm in trouble."

Shay blessed the heavens that Kim's vocal cords were working. Jared's eyes brightened as she turned to face him, his eyes following the movements of her face.

"I'll remember that," he laughed, nodding his head. Moving a step forward, his hand fell on the empty blue chair next to Kim. "Can I sit with you guys?"

Shay was suspicious. Jared had never so much as spoken a word to Kim, and now he wanted to sit with them? Shay would have to make sure he had good intentions. Kim had only been dreaming of this...oh, forever. If he hurt her, he'd be crushing a lifetime's worth of fantasies.

"Uh, sure."

Kim's voice was unusually high, and she tried to send Shay a secret look, but Shay shook her head and smiled at Jared instead. He seemed ultra aware of his limbs, gingerly lowering himself in the chair. It squeaked with his weight and she stifled a chuckle at how ridiculous he looked crammed into a seat clearly meant for someone half his size.

Another silence descended on them. Kim's eyes were glued to her pizza as if that was the object of her affection, instead of the six foot tall, dark eyed boy beside her.

Shay sighed. She'd have to do some meddling. But hopefully just a bit.

"So what's the gossip from the other side of the cafeteria?" Shay asked. Jared, at least when he was found in the cafeteria, was usually at a table right near the kitchens with his moody friend.

Jared smiled, his teeth blindly white. Shay was momentarily reminded how good looking he was. Especially with these newfound muscles. _Steroids? _ She hoped not, for Kim's sake.

"Paul's not really the gossiping type," Jared answered, taking a drink of his water. "Unless you want to hear about his new car."

"Where is Paul?" Kim asked. Shay knew how hard she was trying to be normal, and it was sort of working, if not for the fact that she couldn't make eye contact for more than three seconds. Jared's eyes were glued to her anyway, and Shay felt suddenly like she was impeding on a moment.

"He's sick."

"Oh, did he get it from you?" Kim asked, suddenly watching him thoughtfully.

Jared faltered for a minute, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, there's...something going around."

Shay felt like there was more to that sentence, but before she could open her mouth, Jared was speaking again.

"So you knew I was sick?" he asked, raising an eyebrow toward Kim.

"Well, yeah...you sit next to me in history," she answered, her cheeks once again glowing red.

"It's hard not to notice all the extra elbow room," Shay put in, winking as Jared turned his eyes to her.

He chuckled again, a low, throaty sound and Kim shot her an appreciative look. Shay just winked at her too.

"So did I miss anything good?"

Shay decided to step back and let Kim take over. Considering every question he'd asked had been aimed toward Kim, Shay probably wasn't really needed. She nibbled on her turkey sandwich, watching the scene before her without really listening to the words.

Kim and Jared did make a cute pair. Him, all muscles and giantness, Kim all quiet smiles and thin arms. His eyes looked happy. Shay trusted him for some reason, though she couldn't really put her finger on why.

The lunch period passed without Shay saying too much more. And when the bell rang, she gave Kim a well needed shove toward Jared, promising she'd talk to her after school.

Kim followed Jared in a daze, barely reaching his shoulder, and Shay could swear Jared took her arm to maneuver through the crowd.

Shay smiled widely, heading the opposite way. Maybe her New Year's resolutions for Kim would happen sooner than she thought.

* * *

Shay pulled the straps up of her bag that had a habit of falling down her shoulder. It had been her dad's when he worked at the university labs with her mom. Helen had called her a professor more than once because of it, but it held her massive textbooks and the huge notebook she liked to carry, so she loved it just the same.

Writing was the one class that Shay didn't have with Kim. It was an elective, and since her graduating class was so small it was just her and five other kids. She opened the door, conscious of not knocking anyone out with her huge bag, and settled in her seat as Mrs. Harrison wrote their writing prompt on the board.

Elective classes were in a wing that hadn't been renovated since Shay had been alive, so her desk was filled with scribbles of past students and wobbled from years of abuse. She teetered and caught the eye of Simon Hote, who smiled at her as she righted herself. He was all dimples and dark skin. She blushed to her hairline.

Shay didn't like when people made her blush. Especially when that person was the brother of her least favorite person. She averted her eyes and took out her book to avoid Simon's gaze.

The bell rung, saving her from more potential embarrassment, and Mrs. Harrison cleaned the chalk from her hands and turned to face them.

"You know the drill. Write for ten minutes and then we'll discuss."

A flurry of papers followed this announcement, kids turning to a blank page of their notebooks.

"Uh, Shay?"

Shay turned to face Simon, who stared at her through thin framed glasses. Somehow it worked on him.

Should she ask him how his break was? Would he ask about hers? Why did she suddenly care so much? Because Kim was actually on the brink of dating Jared and she didn't want to be alone?

Of course, she opted to say none of these things to avoid him thinking her utterly crazy.

"Yes?"

"Can I borrow a pen?"

She deflated.

"Oh, sure."

Digging through her bag she found a blue pen in the bottom and extended it to him.

"Thanks."

She nodded.

Yup. He didn't care about her break, or what her middle name was. He wasn't making moony eyes at her either.

She had to stop overthinking things.

* * *

Shay and Kim always met near the parking lot ten minutes after school ended. On the rare and blissful days her car decided to run, Shay would drop Kim off, but usually it was just them riding their bikes.

Shay shivered, checking her phone. Kim was late. Kim was never late, unless she had chorus after school, which never happened on Fridays. Shay rubbed her hands together uselessly.

Stupid car and its stupid engine and stupid problems that she didn't understand. Maybe she could invent a bike that had a heater.

"Shay!"

Turning around, Shay saw Kim coming toward her, her black coattails rising as she jogged. She reached her before Shay could call back, her voice raspy from the cold air.

"Jared asked me on a date." The words were rushed but Shay caught them after years of Kim-speak.

"That's amazing!" Shay shook Kim, laughing for her. "That's great! We're happy." Shay frowned, seeing Kim's smile fade away. "Aren't we happy?"

"I feel like I need oxygen."

Shay steadied Kim with one arm and leaned her against the bike rack.

"This isn't some mean joke, right?" Kim wondered aloud, rubbing a gloved hand against her forehead.

"Kim! Of course not." Shay punched her in the arm, causing Kim to glare at her, but at least stop frowning. "You should've seen the way he was looking at you at lunch."

"Really?" Kim asked. She put her hands on Shay's shoulders, looking at her in the eye. "I know you wouldn't lie to me. Do you think...do you think he actually likes me? Really?"

"Really," Shay confirmed, putting her hands over Kim's and squeezing them.

Relief filtered into her eyes as she backed away, smiling slightly.

"I can't believe this is happening."

"Well believe it."

Kim smiled wider, pressing her hands to her face. A sharp wind suddenly blew, making her hand dance wildly in the wind. Shay clamped her own around her ears and grinned as the cold made her eyes water.

"Let's go somewhere warm and talk about it, okay?" Shay asked, bouncing on her toes.

Kim nodded, following Shay as she grabbed her bike from the rack.

Kim, in all her Kim selfless glory, grinned at Shay as she adjusted her bag to sit nicely behind her before she started to pedal.

"So how was your day?"

_Well, I don't want to brag, but Simon Hote asked me for a pencil,_ Shay thought, but instead she watched Kim's face-bright eyed and clear-and decided against saying it.

"It's safe to say yours was more interesting," Shay grinned, her hands tightening on the handlebars. "Now I'll need to hear the story from the beginning. And don't leave anything out."

* * *

Shay shook her head of the memory. That was it. If she had to pinpoint when her life took a barreling shot off course, that would be the moment.

That day when Jared began staring and never really stopped.

It had to be that day, because after that Jared started being around. A lot. Then Kim stopped being around. Then Shay was left to her noiseless home.

Then Kim started feeling guilty, and dragged Shay to a party with Jared's friends.

Then Shay met Jacob Black.

* * *

**There's number two! Thanks so much to ascribs, guest, and WrittenPhoto for encouraging me to continue!**

**Jacob will be in the next one! Thoughts?**


	3. Chapter 3

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.

-Carl Jung

* * *

Shay's mom was home, on a Friday, before six. _Six_. O'clock. Shay hadn't seen her in daylight in weeks. She blinked rapidly, wondering if she was just an apparition. But no, there was her mother, slender and graceful, with her dark hair in a bun. She was sitting in the far seat at the kitchen table, her eyes skimming over a letter.

"Mom?"

"Shay! You scared me!" Her mother put a bony hand over her chest and narrowed her eyes. "I thought you were studying upstairs."

"I was."

"And now?"

"Well it's Friday. So, I was just going to have a snack."

"It's important to study even on the weekend if you want to get into a good pre-med program."

Shay stopped with her hand on the cabinet handle. She raised an eyebrow at her mother.

"That'd be helpful...if I was doing pre-med."

Her mother looked up, her gaze flickering. Everything about her mother was all angles; even her eyes flared in harsh, sharp lines.

"You want to do pre-med. We talked about this."

_Was I present at that conversation?_ Shay thought. _Did I say anything interesting?_

Shay took a deep breath, turning her body toward the table where her mother assessed her.

"I want to major in creative writing." She hoped she sounded brave, and not petulant, like she feared she would.

Her mother almost laughed. Shay's face pinched into an even deeper scowl, and she dug her fingernails in her thighs to keep herself from exploding.

"You are too smart to waste it on _writing_."

She failed. Her rage was sparked as her mother primly folded her hands in front of her.

"Why do you always say writing like I'm going to be homeless or working the streets? It's completely respectable-"

"-My daughter will not live such an unstable life." Shay almost snorted-as if her life now was all that stable because of her mother. "What job will that get you? I won't be around to support you forever."

"I _love_ to write. I can make something out of it. It's been known to happen," Shay said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Life isn't always about doing what you love."

"You love what you do." Shay's hands were clenched again, her mother's shut downs only making her angrier.

"I don't love research. It has to be done, and it makes a difference in the world, which I am glad to take part in."

"Writing needs to be done. It may not be as important as finding a cure to a disease, but it's important to a lot of people in different ways." Shay thought of all her favorite novels. It was those stories, those words that got her through her rough times. Not this rigid, unfeeling woman in front of her, but _words_.

Her mother retreated back into herself. Shay realized she either had haughty anger or no feelings at all.

"This is the end of of this discussion."

Shay breathed her nose. If this was a cartoon, she was sure steam would be coming out of it.

Forgoing her snack, she padded from the room, wishing she had been wearing shoes so her footsteps would echo.

* * *

Kim's face lit up on her phone screen as it vibrated her nightstand. Shay waded through clothes and shoes to reach it, kicking a Converse halfway across the room before picking it up. She'd have to clean soon.

Shay didn't bother with hello. Kim had been MIA for the past few weeks, so she wasn't in a particularly giving mood.

"What's up Kim?"

"Shay? You sound mad."

"Just...distracted. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry I haven't been around a lot lately. But I miss you!"

"You saw me at school today, Kim." Shay didn't mention that she missed Kim too. A lot. Time alone was overrated.

"You know what I mean." Kim sighed, and Shay could imagine her smoothing the ends of her hair. "What are you doing right now? Do you want to come to a party?"

"You're inviting me to a _party_?"

"Yes. Jared's friends are having it. And he wants you to come. _I_ want you to come."

"I don't know, Kim. I just had a big fight with my mom. I don't know how much fun I'd be."

"It'll be a good way to distract yourself. Please Shay? You'll like them."

Shay thought of Jared and Kim making kissy faces at each other at school. Would she just be subjecting herself to a night of being the third wheel?

"I don't know...don't you want alone time with Jared?"

"It's a party, there won't be any alone time with anyone!" Kim joked, before her voice became soft. "I know I've been a bad friend lately. But I don't want to be one of those people. I want my boyfriend and my best friend to be friends."

"I like Jared," Shay protested.

"So you'll come?"

"I didn't say-"

"Great! It starts at seven-thirty. Is your car working these days?"

"If by working you mean sputtering along and threatening to break down at any moment."

Kim laughed, her voice back to full volume. Shay decided to go along with Kim's enthusiasm. She did miss her, after all. And she wasn't doing anything better. At least she didn't have to tiptoe around her mother.

"Great! I'll text you the address."

* * *

The house Kim sent her to was small and lit up in the dark night. She could already see people moving around inside and was suddenly very self conscious to walk into a place where she didn't know anyone.

Why didn't she make Kim give her a ride?

Pulling the keys out of her ignition, Shay shut the door of her black Ford tentatively. It had a tendency to stick.

She rubbed her palms on her jeans, hoping this wasn't a fancy event. Most of her clothes were jeans and sweaters. She'd opted for black today, to not draw attention to herself.

She had barely reached the door when it swung open, revealing a tall, grinning boy. He was similar to Jared in skin tone and height, but he was definitely younger.

"You must be Shay! I'm Seth." He outstretched a hand to her, his smile never faltering.

His hand was on fire when she shook it. Kim had always said Jared was like a furnace too. She frowned but quickly covered it up. His friendliness was contagious, and she didn't want to squash it.

"Hey, nice to meet you."

"Come in! We've been waiting for you to eat, so they'd kill me if I kept you on the porch any longer."

Shay followed him inside, thankful at least that she wouldn't have to walk in completely alone. The feeling disappeared rapidly, however, when she saw the inhabitants of the room.

Huge, good looking, muscular men...all looking at her.

"This is Shay everyone."

Had she died? Was heaven a small, warm house with pale yellow walls and men who could all benchpress each other in weight?

Everyone greeted her in different ways, some with hellos, others with waves. They all looked interested for a moment, before turning toward what she could only guess was the food Seth had mentioned earlier.

Seth had become her personal bodyguard and she followed him through the room, resisting the urge to latch onto his arm. Shay felt like Kim for a second-she was sure she was blushing as she walked toward the kitchen. She gave everyone a small wave as one man detached from the group and approached them.

"I'm Sam."

He didn't look too much older than the rest, but he had a certain confidence that made him seem older.

"Nice to meet you."

"This is Emily," he added, as a woman came up next to him and immediately slid into the space underneath his shoulder. She was pretty, and Shay noticed with some surprise scars running down one side of her face. She hoped she hid her reaction as Sam wrapped an arm around Emily's shoulder and hooked her into his side.

"Welcome to our home." Her voice was cozy and warm, like her house. Shay smiled despite herself.

"Thanks for having me. It's lovely."

"Thank you. Now please get some food before these animals eat it all."

"Shay!"

Shay turned to see Kim enter the house, Jared at her side.

"I'm so glad you came!"

"Well you hardly gave me a choice."

Kim hid her smile in Jared's shoulder. Paul followed quickly behind. His eyes narrowed at her, before he pointed in her face.

"I know you."

"Yeah, we go to school together," Shay reminded.

Paul's eyes squinted in concentration.

"Yeah. Didn't Kala trap you in a locker once?"

Great. He hardly remembered her name, but he remembered that. From _four years ago._

"I think you're confusing me with someone more embarrassing." Shay hid her blush with a joking smile.

"I could swear it was you." Paul looked at her, confused.

"You're an idiot." Jared rolled his eyes and hit him in the back of the head. "Come meet some better people Shay."

Shay grinned once at Paul, who scowled at Jared as they walked away.

* * *

This party was overwhelming, to say the least. Too many names swirled in her head. It didn't help that they all looked related.

Ducking huge bodies, Shay spotted a girl sulking on the couch. She had short hair, and if Shay had to guess, she was a few years older.

Shay weighed her options. She desperately wanted to sit down, and a second of peace from the jokes being traded back and forth. Kim was sitting in a corner with Jared, unsurprisingly. Shay inched toward the couch. The girl had noticed her lingering and sent her a withering look.

Shay sat down before she chickened out.

"Hi, I'm-"

"-Yeah, I'm not interested."

"Well that's a weird name," Shay joked, giving her an awkward grin.

She rolled her eyes.

"Sorry," Shay grimaced. Her sense of humor came out at bad times. "Actually I came over here because you _weren't _smiling at me like a lunatic. Everyone's very...friendly. And there are so many _names_."

"So you chose this seat because I'm an asshole?"

"I was going to say off-putting, but asshole works."

This time, the girl actually snorted in amusement. Shay momentarily realized she was pretty, and felt more at ease knowing she wasn't all bad attitude and frowns.

"Leah," she offered, nodding at Shay once.

"Shay."

"So this party...what's the occasion?"

Leah's gaze drifted toward the door, where she nodded her head.

"It's not everyday the prodigal son returns."

Shay's attention swung toward the door, where a new person was entering. His hair was black and cut short, his posture stooped. He looked dejected, but...familiar.

"Jacob?"

"Bingo." Leah sounded bored and leaned her head back, resting on the wall behind her.

Shay remembered Kim telling her that Jacob Black had skipped town...because of some girl? Noise swelled as everyone noticed him. Shay's eyes followed the action, watching everyone clap him on the back. He didn't seem super cheerful, even after a break from town.

"Shay!"

Kim's voice never really qualified as loud, but she caught Shay's attention and waved her over to the mob by the door.

Leah's eyes were closed as Shay got up. She walked over nervously, unsure of why she was nervous, but feeling weights in her stomach just the same.

When had Jacob Black gotten so..._hot_?

She almost blushed at her own thoughts. Everyone here was hot, that was for sure, but he made her tongue lodge in her throat.

_Stop. Stop it, Shay, _she chastised herself. _Just walk over there and try not to say anything stupid._

Kim grabbed her arm when she was close enough, grinning at her. Jared noticed her presence and nudged Jacob, bringing his attention to Shay.

Shay tried to smile naturally, even though her heart was speeding.

And then he caught her eye.

His expression went from a forced smile to a slack jawed frown. Shay frowned back, her body doing strange things like taking a step forward. Why was she having this reaction to him? She'd seen him before. Passed him in the hall. Her chest had never constricted this painfully, even when Simon Hote smiled at her.

"Um, I'm Shay," she said, forcing the words from her throat. They were painful, but she got them out. "But you probably know that. Or not," she added, not seeing recognition in his eyes. "I was put in a locker once. Seems to be what people know about me. Although, I don't want that to be my identifier." Stupid Paul for putting the idea in her mind. If it was possible, she would be blushing from her head to her toes. "Anyway. I'm Shay."

Oh, god. She literally wanted to melt and slither away. Would he care if she turned and fled? He was still staring. Angry, bitter staring that she did not evoke.

She could feel the voices lull around her, but she wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not.

Suddenly, Jacob's gaze flew to Jared's. His eyes were wide, but his mouth was set in an angry, firm line.

"I can't do this." His voice was scratchy, like he'd been sick.

With Jacob's gaze off her, she could breathe again, but just barely. She didn't have much time to find relief, however, before he was out the door.

He'd left it open. She looked wide eyed at Kim who was looking as confused as her. Jared's face was pained as he wrapped an arm around Kim's waist. Paul just laughed.

Sam, who she didn't realize was right behind her, sighed.

"I'll go."

_What the hell was that?_

Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Shay could feel the tension in the room. She was sure she'd been a part of what caused it, but she didn't understand how or why. Ignoring Kim's gaze, she slunk back to her place on the couch. She would just retreat for a second, let her awkward rambling fade away, and hope that everyone would stop looking at her.

"Boys, I made a pie for dessert. Let's go cut it up." Emily's eyes darted around the room, and she gestured toward the kitchen. "Boys!"

Everyone's attention snapped to her, and Shay sunk farther into the cushions, thankful for the kind woman and her beautiful, distracting pie.

Leah was watching her in amusement, her lips turned up in a smirk.

"And I thought tonight would be boring," Leah said, cracking her knuckles while an evil grin took over her face.

"What...was that?" Shay asked, looking toward the older girl with wide eyes.

"Nothing good, pipsqueak." She clapped her on the back. "Nothing good."

* * *

**HUGE thank you to all who reviewed/favorited/etc.! Writing feels lonely sometimes, so it's lovely to hear when people are out there!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame."  
-Benjamin Franklin

* * *

_Jacob_

First, he thought of Bella.

Bella's dark eyes. The way her hair smelled. Her clumsiness. The way she looked at him when he worked on the bikes with her. The way it felt to touch her, the still human her, warm and soft and inviting.

But that wasn't working. It should have been easy. It was all he could do while he was away from La Push, even when he tried not to. But now..._She_ was popping into his thoughts too, just on the peripheral, but there. He had to stop thinking about people altogether.

So then, he thought in the moment. Just whatever was happening.

The trees he was passing. The way the green smeared in his vision because he was going so fast. The icicles clinging to the branches.

If Jacob focused on the things around him, the things he was doing, he could forget the...mistake that just happened.

_It's not a mistake._

Sam's voice was stern. When wasn't it stern? Jacob ignored it, and kept running. Running to forget the blush that invaded Shay Brooks' face as he stared at her. The way her eyes followed him carefully. The way she babbled while he grew angry that this was happening to him.

_You can run all you want, but that isn't going to change anything._

Well, Jacob was certainly going to try. This was the last thing he needed. What he should be doing is trying to stop Bella's wedding, try to get her to remain warm and alive and un-vampiric and instead he had to imprint on a girl he'd never paid mind to?

He had bigger problems than this. This was a wrench in his plans. Fine, she was pretty. In a small, delicate way. And kind of funny. And if he remembered correctly, pretty smart. But she was...unwanted.

_This is great._ Jared's voice entered his mind. He must have been running for a while if Jared had phased_. Kim is going to be so excited! She hates lying to Shay. And now Shay can be around more!_

_She will not be around more_. Jacob growled as he thought the words to Jared.

_So what? You're going to ignore your imprint? _

Jake practically heard the snort in his Jared's thoughts. Jake turned toward where he was, and barred his teeth, lowering his jaw until it almost hit the dirt.

If wolves could laugh, Jared would be as he backed away, bowing his head.

_Shay's great_. Jared's annoying voice was in his mind again. God, he almost wanted to phase back just so he could ignore his pack, but his anger kept him in four legs. _You're going to love her. Well, you already know that I guess...but really. You'll like her._

But he didn't want to like her. And the thought of loving her was confusing his racing brain. He wanted to be with **Bella.**

_If you were supposed to be with Bella, you would've imprinted on her_. Sam reminded, a little smugly. _She would have chosen you._

Jake's vision grew hazy with anger. He felt it pulse in his bones. If he was in human form, he would have exploded with it. He wanted to tear something apart, maybe Sam. He wanted to cause destruction, he wanted to unleash his fury and knock over trees and run until he couldn't breathe.

_Go ahead. Cool down. Come talk to me when you're done._

He wanted to resist. He wanted to tell him where he could shove his advice. That he wasn't helping in the least bit.

But it was an order from his alpha, so he accepted it and kept running.

* * *

Shay had been writing furiously. Her five subject notebook, covered in song lyrics and stickers, had been permanently attached to her hand. Whenever she was emotional, words poured out of her.

And for some strange reason, she was feeling very emotional. The only problem was, she wasn't really sure what emotions she was having.

After finishing a short story for school, Shay was still feeling oddly wired. To get out some of her antsy energy, she decided to do the errands she'd been putting off.

But so far, it wasn't helping.

Not the trip to the hardware store, or the one to the bank, and certainly not the pharmacy. Her limbs felt itchy, like she needed to stretch them, even though she'd been walking all day.

She just felt like she needed to be doing something. But she wasn't sure what it was.

She pulled into the grocery store parking lot, tapping her fingers on her steering wheel as she shut the car off. She made a mental list of things she needed to buy in her head as she hopped out, her sneakers thudding on the pavement.

The grocery store stood alone, just a few minutes away from the group of restaurants and the bakery she was just near. The parking lot was practically empty, making the surrounding trees seem more imposing as she grabbed one of four carts the store had.

She pushed the door open, the bell announcing her arrival to the cashier who smiled at her warmly.

"Hey Shay! How are you doing?" Mr. Waters asked.

"Good, thanks for asking. You?"

"Oh, you know, no rest for the weary."

Mr. Waters always said something to that effect, and Shay always smiled and started to shop. He was possibly the nicest man she'd ever met. She couldn't imagine him saying a bad word about anybody. It would look strange coming from his face—old and withered, but open and friendly.

Shay remembered coming to La Push from California. Her grandpa couldn't live alone and refused to move out of his house, so when a university in Seattle could take on both of them, her parents decided on the change of scenery.

Shay still couldn't believe her dad had moved them here. He had practically escaped the moment he could, but he felt duty bound to care for his dad.

Shay didn't know how to live a small town life, at first. She hoped it would be like _Gilmore Girls_, but in reality it wasn't always like that. There were some people that didn't fit in, some that gossiped too much, and some that preferred to keep to themselves. But she liked it just the same, and even though she didn't extend her friends circle too far away from Kim, she always felt the town itself was her family.

Her mother hated it.

Fiona Masterson ironically never mastered the art of small talk. She didn't believe in Quiluete traditions or stories, much to Shay's grandpa's disdain. She never did anything friendly unless it was a brisk nod and smile.

It was a small miracle her mother had stayed here after the divorce. Shay thought she would have to beg and plead, but thankfully the university wasn't that far from their house. Plus, her mother was too busy to move out. She probably couldn't spare the afternoon.

So, even though her house was father-less, the only thing that really changed in her life was her mother's name.

Shay turned her attention back to her list, scanning her cart.

Macaroni and cheese. Milk. Pizza. Cereal. Chicken, to shake things up.

Staples of cooking for yourself.

Shay smiled as Mr. Waters checked her items slowly, and handed him her mother's credit card.

"Your mom is lucky to have you," Mr. Waters said, handing the card back to her with a receipt. "My grandson would come home with a cart full of candy and potato chips."

Shay grinned, grabbing her bags with both arms.

"I prefer frozen pizza and Pop-tarts."

Mr. Waters laughed as she nodded good-bye with a smile, shoving the door open with her back.

Shay put one handful of bags down as she rummaged for the keys in her pocket. Every time she told herself she'd get them out and ready, but she always forgot to-

"Shay."

Shay yelped, her heart momentarily stalling and her chest protesting with an ache as she turned to the voice next to her. Taking a deep breath, she saw Jacob Black standing there, his hands deep in the pockets of a pair of basketball shorts.

He was not wearing a shirt.

"You scared me."

_Don't stare. Don't stare at his muscles. Definitely don't stare at the V. Definitely don't think about where the V ends. For god's sakes, pull yourself together, have you ever seen a human male before-_

"Sorry."

He didn't sound that sorry, but she didn't press it. He was clearly having some issues. And his cool indifference helped her stop thinking of his attractiveness. Well, sort of. She wasn't staring anymore, but no one told her heart to stop beating erratically.

A silence encased them. Shay stopped fumbling for her keys, and instead bit her lip, looking down to the floor. Jacob was staring stonily ahead, seeming like he chose a space to stare at near her face, but not quite at it.

What the hell was up with this kid?

"So you're really going for no service, aren't you?" Shay gestured toward his feet.

"Huh?"

Jacob's eyes flicked to her for a moment, so intense she looked away again. _Why?_ Why did her brain tell her to make stupid jokes in times like these?

"You know, no shirt, no shoes..." she trailed off, and for the second time in two days, wanted to sink into a puddle on the ground.

Jacob didn't answer. She didn't have time to be offended, because she suddenly realized her breath was turning white in the air. Her breath! Which meant that yes, she was cold despite wearing a parka with a fur hood...

"Aren't you freezing?" she exclaimed, watching him stand there like it was a Summer day. "It's February!"

"I'm aware." He shrugged, sighing. "I was...running."

"Barefoot?" Shay raised an eyebrow. She'd heard stories of Sam's gang, of course, had questioned it herself when she saw Jared and Paul's giant transformations. She didn't believe it, but there had to be some reason Jacob was acting so..._weird._

"Yes."

His voice was clipped. Why was he even talking to her? Clearly, he didn't want to be. Shay suddenly felt angry and sad at this fact.

"Well, I'll let you get to it," she said lamely, finally reaching her keys in her coat pocket.

Jacob nodded once, before turning in the opposite direction of the door.

"Be...safe." His words were halted, soft, but there.

Shay watched him with a frown, before he reached the border of trees and disappeared into it.

* * *

Sam's voice was in his head instantly.

_I went through the same thing. It's normal. You'll feel the pull toward her, whether you want it or not._

He felt bitter. Angry. Confused. He didn't even know he'd started following her until he was throwing on his shorts and lurking near her hunk of junk car. It was happening too quickly. He wasn't ready.

_So I'm supposed to accept I have no choice?_

_Imprinting doesn't make your choice, it tells you the right choice to make. Your brain was smart enough to realize it before your heart._

_Oh, why don't you write a fucking poem about it. _Jake growled, running toward his house.

At least there, no one would be in his head.

* * *

**Just a short one, to get in some of Jake's POV!**

***Whispers nervously* What did you think?**


	5. Chapter 5

you're behind my eyelids when I'm all alone

* * *

_He couldn't sit still. It was like every one of his muscles was coiled with energy, and sitting was torture. His jean clad leg bounced, then his long fingers tapped, then his short haired head and dark eyes roamed around the room._

_His body was too big for his small blue chair. His skin was too warm. His eyes were too alert._

_She couldn't look away from him. He made the air seem palpable. She felt like she was choking on the energy he exuded, like she was being wrapped up and slowly bled of coherent thoughts._

_She didn't know how much tension could be in a room. She'd never felt someone fill a space before. She thought you couldn't feel something intangible, but everything he touched, air to words to anything at all, was instantly on fire._

"Whatcha writing?"

Shay slammed her notebook shut, looking up to see a smirking Kim take the seat next to her.

Their math teacher was slowly erasing the board as other students walked in.

"Embarrassed?"

"No. I just don't like people reading my stuff." Shay shrugged. Kim quirked an eyebrow at her, the front pieces of her hair falling loose and into her eyes.

"I'm your best friend," Kim stated, shaking her head. "And don't you read it out loud in class?"

"This was just some scribbling," Shay said, scratching her neck. To be honest, she didn't really know what she was writing. It felt a little bit like a dream she'd had the night before, but she woke up foggy and wasn't clear on who or what it was about.

Kim gave her another look, but didn't say anything else as she reached to pull her binder from her messenger bag.

As Shay switched to her math book -black and void of any stickers or signs of happiness-the bell rang and Mr. Humes cleared his throat. Shay had written him into one of her stories once—the math teacher who ironically looked like a pencil. Stick thin, rigid posture, and a surprising shock of red hair. Most of their teachers were Quileute, but he had replaced Mrs. Jacobs after she had her baby.

"Morning everyone," Mr. Humes gestured to the board behind them. "I put a few problems up for you to do while I go around and check your homework. Now—oh, Mr. Black, how nice of you to join us. Will we look forward to your tardiness after this long absence?"

Shay's neck almost snapped when she jerked her head to the door.

Jacob. _In school?_

Of course, he was in this class. He was in most of her classes, but she'd never really paid attention to it before. It's amazing how things surround you once you know to look for them.

"Sorry." Jacob grumbled and took a seat in the far corner, a row of desks separating them. Shay watched his posture as he slumped down. He had stubble on his cheeks, and his eyes were darkened with lack of sleep.

Even Mr. Humes seemed surprised. Jacob always had a quip and a smile to send a teacher, but right now he looked like he was melding into his tired metal chair. He shrugged it off and started checking the homework on her side of the room.

Shay sunk into her chair herself, unsure of why she suddenly felt so exposed.

It's not like he was watching her. Alright, he'd creepily shown up at the grocery store where she was...but he had the world's most awkward, forced conversation with her. He literally ran out of the room upon seeing her last week. He wouldn't even bother to talk to her if it wasn't for her connection with his friends.

Shay sneaked a glance at the back row he had sunk his black V-necked torso into and found his eyes glued to his desk. As if he felt her, though, he suddenly looked up.

And glared. Heartily. Laser-beam worthy, brown eyed hatred.

Shay's eyes widened. What had she done?

She looked away, but couldn't help but catch Kim's gaze on the way back. Her cheeks warmed as Kim raised an eyebrow at her.

That was a gesture that was growing annoying.

Shay shrugged it off and started copying down the problem on the board.

Focus on math. Focus on math.

So what if he was here? And bitter. This wasn't a life altering event. Jacob Black was back in school, and Shay Brooks couldn't care less. And it was most certainly _not_ what she was dreaming about last night.

Nope. Not at all.

* * *

Rumors had circulated by lunch. Well, honestly, in a school this size, they'd probably circulated about ten minutes after Jacob arrived, but the cafeteria was practically buzzing. Like a hive of gossip starved, nothing-happens-in-this-town, this-is-all-we-have-to-talk-about bees.

Honestly. He was just a boy. Who let some stupid girl break his heart, and then he disappeared. She vaguely wondered what this girl looked like, and how she'd enraptured Jacob so much, but she quickly pushed that thought away.

Shay heard some girls talk about how sorry they felt for poor Jacob. _Poor _Jacob. They failed to notice he'd lost his sense of humor, and become a big, fat, glaring jerk.

Shay clutched her brown bag in her hand and weaved through the tables, making her way for the window. She kept her eyes on the floor, a worn out white and green tiled disaster. She'd gone to her locker first and Gordon Greer, her sniffling locker neighbor, had dropped all his books on her feet. She stared sadly down at her red sneakers.

Now she was late _and_ her pinky toe hurt. She just wanted to sit and eat her peanut butter and jelly in peace. Was that too much to ask?

...Apparently, yes. As she neared her corner, she saw what was once a duo had turned into a party. The table used to seem so large with just her and Kim chatting across its wood surface.

Now it was overrun.

Jared sat with them now, of course. He added to their table in a happy, lovey way that only made Shay want to vomit 60% of the time.

Jared and Kim were there. And also Paul. And Embry, and Quil. And was that Seth on the end? All the grades ate lunch together, but they didn't usually intermingle much. And then...right there on the end, in _her_ seat, was Jacob Black.

Shay contemplated turning around and eating lunch in the faculty lounge. It would be quieter. And have decidedly less testosterone. But then Kim saw her and waved her over with a guilty smile.

The only empty seat was next to Seth, which Shay was immensely grateful for. Seth was growing to be her favorite. She'd prefer Kim, but she'd probably be making gooey faces at Jared, anyway.

"Hey guys," Shay said, sliding next to Seth.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Shay!"

The last one was Kim. The others had far less enthusiasm.

In an effort to get herself into a better mood, Shay turned to Seth.

"Hey kid, wormed your way to the senior table?" she asked, winking at him.

"Maybe." Seth grinned widely, leaning his head on his hand while his bright eyes found hers.

"Oh I see." She laughed. "That can get you in anywhere, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Seth said innocently, biting into his pizza.

"Duende." Shay said, shaking her head.

"Bless you?" Seth asked, his mouth full.

Shay laughed.

"No. Duende. It means like, magnetism. Charm."

"Never heard that one."

"I have a thing for words you don't hear a lot in regular conversation," Shay pushed down the desire to name more that she loved. "Ask Kim, it drives her crazy. She thinks I sound like I'm trying to know better than everyone else, but I just love words. There's so many and we just use the same old tired ones over and over. So unpoetic. Sorry, do I sound like a dork?"

"A little, but I like it. _Duende_," he practiced, his mouth twisting with the word.

Shay laughed, instantly feeling better. "Very nice," she complimented, turning to her lunch.

She bumped elbows with Seth as she tried to open her bag. He tried to squirm down, but to no avail. The table was too small. Its occupants were too large. She decided to try and keep her limbs as close to herself as possible and try to blend into whatever conversation they were having before she arrived.

"What's going on?" Shay asked Seth quietly, gesturing to the rest of the table. Shay hadn't noticed, but now it was quite obvious she'd interrupted something...tense. Everyone was avoiding each other's eyes.

"Oh, erm, just talking about how much school Jake's missed," Seth supplied, eating the last half of his pizza in one bite.

Shay watched, impressed and disgusted, as he chewed and swallowed quicker than she unwrapped her sandwich.

"That's all you're eating?"

Paul looked at Shay's hands, and she cradled her peanut butter and jelly closer to her.

"Yes?"

"It's so..._tiny_." He sounded personally offended.

"This is a full sized sandwich."

"Full sized for a child." Paul snorted. He was a bit shorter and broader than the other guys, so he was closer to her eyes as she locked gazes with him.

"I am child sized compared to you giants."

Paul smirked, shoveling his fries into his mouth as Shay rolled her eyes.

"So, anyway, we were talking about Jake," Jared reminded.

Shay didn't know how he'd heard Seth talking to her, but somehow he did. She pointedly did not look at Jacob, wanting to avoid any more unwarranted glaring. Instead she stared at the brown walls behind Paul's head. Tan, really. Butterscotch. Beige. So many colors she could use. There was a fire extinguisher near their table. That would be good if there was ever a fire...but how did you use one of those? She'd be too panicked to read the instructions.

She'd probably just run out of the door. It was only about five feet from their table, and she'd be safe on the field they used in gym class when the weather was actually warm.

"What do you think, Shay?"

Shay snapped back at her name. Kim was talking to her. Oops. Bad time for a strange runaway of thoughts.

"Um...huh?"

"I was saying you're great at English. So maybe you could tutor Jake because he missed so much?"

_What_? Who was this person and what had they done with shy Kim who stayed quiet and never volunteered her for anything?

She searched her brain for a polite excuse, but didn't have to use any because Jacob spoke his first words since she'd arrived.

"No."

Kim looked at him, surprise etched into her wide eyes. His word was final, firm...completely embarrassing. Shay felt herself flush, like somehow it was personal that he didn't want her help.

"No?" Kim asked stupidly.

"No," Jacob repeated. "I don't need her. I can handle it."

"Oh." Kim's posture deflated. "Okay."

Jared glared at Jacob. Jacob glared at his food. Shay glared at everyone, and suddenly wished she went to the faculty room after all.

"He's not usually like this." Seth leaned over to whisper to her, patting her back. "Just give him time."

Shay nodded absently, tearing off small pieces of her bread and rolling them into balls. It was hard to convince herself this wasn't about her when everyone was looking at her oddly and offering comfort.

_Just give him time._

Time to do what?

* * *

Shay never cared for gym class. She didn't like changing clothes, or sweating, or the room itself. It had plenty of windows, but it always smelled like sweaty socks and the rafters were full of sad, deflated balls.

Plus, she wasn't that great at sports. She covered up her awfulness with heavy self-deprecation and jokes so her teammates didn't hate her for not participating much.

But she wasn't in the mood today. She could feel herself complaining too much, but she couldn't help it. It was just one of those funks that clung to her attitude, no matter how many times Kim had tried to cheer her up in the locker room.

Thankfully it was her last class.

_She'd be home in less than an hour._

But she had to get through this first.

Kala Hote being on her team didn't help her mood. Kala never helped much of anything.

They gathered around the volleyball net, arranging themselves into position.

In a burst of bad luck, Kala Hote, Gordon Greer and Jacob Black were all on her team. It was like greater forces were conspiring against her, hell bent on making this the most awkward, horrible game of her life.

She stood next to Kala, on the left side of the net. Kim gave her a sympathetic grimace from the other side while Jared and Paul laughed about something. Simon was in the serving position, fixing his glasses.

Kala's hair was tied in a high ponytail, making her forehead seem even huger. How was Simon the brother of this spawn? She tried to forget they were twins. Fraternal, thank god. Her hair was darker, her eyes wider. Doe eyes, except not cute and cuddly. They turned to her with amusement.

"We haven't talked in a while, Shay," Kala said, bouncing on her toes and giving Shay a wicked smile.

"I know," Shay deadpanned. "It was like a vacation."

Their gym teacher was taking attendance in a small black notebook. Shay didn't know if she wanted him to slow down or speed up.

"I saw you eating lunch with Sam Uley's gang. I'm impressed. It only took you seventeen years to get friends."

Shay learned long ago that the best way to treat Kala's meanness was a good dose of sarcasm and nonchalance.

"I'm available by appointment for any pointers." She sent her a lazy smile that made Kala's eyebrows seek a reunion.

"Well that _is _the question. Why does a group of hot guys want to hang around you and Kim? How desperate do they have to be?"

Shay's anger started to burn, a slow warmth that started in her chest and rose to her throat. She hoped it would set her words on fire, but for once, she wasn't finding any.

"Ok, let's start! Jacob, you'll serve first!"

Jacob caught the ball easily. It looked comically small in his hands. Shay was just happy she was saved from answering.

"What, no stupid comeback for that one? Is that because you know I'm right?" Kala asked maliciously, her lips twisting into a smirk.

And then suddenly, before Shay could answer, the volleyball collided...with Kala's head.

Kala jerked forward, her face catching in the net as she cried out in pain. Her ponytail was askew, the ball rolling innocently away as the gym erupted in noise. Shay covered her mouth to contain her giggles as Kala groaned, her nose twisted in the tangles of the net. Voices stood out from the clamor—Simon's, asking if she was okay, Kim's yelp of shock, and Shay's favorite—Paul's heavy laughter.

Kala shook herself free, her hand clutching the back of her head as turned around.

"What the _hell_!"

Paul was still laughing, now joined by Jared, even though the teacher had tried to quiet them down. Shay reminded herself to befriend Paul a little bit more tomorrow.

"Jacob!" Mr. Andrews crossed his arms, sending Jake a glare. He stood innocently in the same corner he'd served from as Mr. Andrews assessed him. "What happened?"

"Sorry," Jacob smiled, his voice light. "It slipped."

His smile was devastating.

Full teeth, eyes bright, all white against his perfect skin. For one second, that smile reached everywhere.

Shay didn't know if it was on purpose. She couldn't let herself think that, not with how Jacob had been acting toward her.

"Okay, okay," Mr. Andrews said, his arms suddenly a whirlwind as he gestured them in a downward motion. "Settle down, settle down. Kala, do you need the nurse?"

Kala, still rubbing her scalp, sent the teacher a look that could wither anything living.

"Yes. I need ice. God, do you see how big he is? I'm surprised he didn't_ kill_ me."

"Okay, go. Jacob's team can play one short."

Kala sulked beside her, mumbling under her breath as she walked slowly toward the door.

Shay turned back to the game and tried to pay attention. Gordon had shifted beside her, and Jake was serving again, this time the ball sailing easily over the net.

Could it be on purpose? It's not like he could really hear their conversation. Kala hadn't been talking loud, wouldn't want to let the teacher know what she was saying. But even if Jacob did hear...

Okay. Stop. Really, it didn't matter.

But Shay turned anyway. Spared Jacob a look, catching his eye as she did so.

And then, in just a second, one single, fleeting second, he smirked.

She bit back her smile, turning back to the net.

...Maybe Jacob Black wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

**HUGE thanks to all readers, especially reviewers as they make me feel like I'm not writing to a void! **

**I love fanfiction, because it lets you play around with stories. Someone mentioned they don't like what happened with Jacob/Nessie and to be honest, I really don't either, and this is me thinking about alternatives. So whether you do or don't like the real plot, or just want to see something different, thanks so much for reading along with the ideas swirling around my head!**

Til next time!


	6. Chapter 6

**"Every day brings new choices."**

-Martha Beck

* * *

The high of pretending that for maybe one second Jacob Black was somewhat less of a jerk to her lasted for about one day. He'd gone back to ignoring her almost immediately after the volleyball incident, and she was quite alright with it. She could talk to Seth at lunch anyway, and she had Kim in most of her classes.

The only issue now was home.

She didn't know what she preferred—being all alone in the quiet, empty house, or having her mother there as company, nagging her about her future.

She decided on the former. Her mother's thinly veiled insults were driving wedges underneath her fingernails. She had to leave before she wanted to pull her hands off entirely.

Unfortunately, as was the usual as of late, Kim was busy.

"Sorry, Shay." Kim's voice was quiet in real life, and even worse on the phone. "I'd cancel my plans with Jared but he said he had to tell me something. He sounded pretty serious."

"Do you think he murdered someone?" Shay asked, shifting her legs underneath her. "I can't believe you're dating a murderer."

"I can't believe I'm friends with you."

Shay grinned despite her disappointment.

"Why, because you exclusively hang out with criminals now?"

"Can you take anything seriously?"

"Okay, okay." Shay curtailed herself as Kim's voice took on a new tone of annoyance. "What do you think it is?"

"I hope he's okay. Do you think he's breaking up with me?"

"I'd say there's a negative twelve thousand percent chance of that."

"I don't know. He sounded nervous. I could practically hear him twitching."

"When a boy in that group of friends twitches, it's called an earthquake."

"Shay!"

"Sorry, sorry! It's probably nothing." Shay moved her phone to her other ear. "Maybe a sick relative or something."

"Maybe."

"Don't worry about it until it happens. And think about the bright side."

"What bright side?" Kim asked.

"Anything he tells you will be better than murder, am I right?" Shay smiled at her own joke, biting her lip as Kim took a deep breath on the other line.

"I hate you. Good-bye."

Shay laughed now, leaning back on the couch pillow.

"Love you too. Call me later!"

* * *

Something strange happened when Shay went downstairs for dinner.

Her mother was being nice.

Now, this had been known to happen on rare occasion. For instance, on Shay's birthday, or if her mother had gotten a wine or two in her system. But lately, they'd been circling each other like predators, and considering Shay hadn't changed her mind on college, she was decidedly suspicious about her behavior.

Cause for suspicion number two?

Her mother was cooking.

Shay hadn't seen her mother cook since her grandfather was alive. And even then, it was only soup when he was sick. He had thanked her politely, then spit it out and winked at Shay as he poured it in the sink.

She missed him.

Now, her mother seemed to tackling a bigger project. A roasted chicken was on top of the stove and her mother was turning up the heat, her hair pinned up in a high ponytail that swayed behind her blazer covered shoulders. Shay had thought the smell of food was a trick of her imagination.

"Mom? What's going on?"

"There you are! I'm making dinner. Are you hungry? Put on that dress I got you for Christmas, would you? You look cute in that."

Shay looked behind her, expecting a camera crew. But all she saw were the familiar beige walls.

"Uh, what's the occasion?"

"We're having a guest for dinner. Hurry up, he'll be here soon."

Oh, god. This was it. She was getting a step-father. Shay's mouth got dry as her heart sped up.

Her mother couldn't possibly be dating. She was busy all the time. She really only cared about her work, and she hadn't mentioned a man once.

But what did Shay really know? Her father had been re-married before she could blink and she didn't see it coming. Plus, her mother probably had more secrets from her than anyone she'd met. She could have another family, for all Shay knew.

"Who's the guest?" Shay asked warily, leaning against the counter in an attempt to be nonchalant_. I will not call him dad_, she chanted firmly in her head.

Just then, headlights filtered through the front window, cascading all the way to the walls of their small kitchen. Shay watched them in horror as her mother's eyes did what she could only describe as light up.

"Quick, get dressed!"

Shay shuffled her feet, taking her time to try and assess the situation.

She peered out the window as she neared the stairs, straining her eyes to see past the headlights.

"Shay! Hurry!"

Shay groaned and turned on the stairs, tromping up with frustration.

She'd find out soon enough.

* * *

He had a short haircut, the brown locks close to his neatly trimmed, gray eyed face. He was probably a little older than her mother, evident only in a few wrinkles in his forehead and wisps of gray starting at his temples.

He was introduced as Dr. Hank, with a firm handshake and a no nonsense nod of the head.

He didn't seem like he smiled much—a perfect match for her mother.

Shay felt her normal personality retreat back into herself, like it always did when she met intimidating people. She prayed for a quick dinner and no dessert. She prayed her mother and Dr. Hank would do all the talking.

But she realized about three seconds into the dry chicken that this was not an opportunity for a new daddy.

Like everything else her mother did, this was a strategic move.

"So your mother tells me you're applying to med school."

Shay choked on what she was chewing. She grabbed her water and took a sip, her eyes watering as her mother's motives clicked into place.

She suddenly wished she had choked.

"I'm...weighing my options." Shay answered carefully to not make her mother angry, or give her too much hope.

"What better option could there be?"

_For humanity? Maybe none. For me? Anything else._

Shay kept that thought to herself in favor of being flayed alive later by her mom.

"I, um…" Shay couldn't think of how to respond to this man who had clearly come here with an agenda.

"You don't have much time. You've already applied to school, but if you didn't put yourself down for the right major, you could cost yourself time."

"I was thinking she should come down to the lab, get in some experience to keep that from happening," her mother chimed in, watching Dr. Hank with adoration. "We have that group of interns she could accompany."

"Excellent idea, Fiona. And I can put a call in, I've got pretty good connections at a lot of good programs in Washington and even California. Where did you apply?"

Shay opened her mouth like a fish, just air hissing out instead of words. But it didn't matter, because her mother just took her turn again in this back and forth tennis match that Shay was suddenly on the sidelines of.

"She only applied in state, and one school in New York, but I really like the idea of California! Who do you know over there?"

"Dr. Forest, have you heard of him? He's doing a lot of research that is turning heads."

Shay's eyes glazed over as they continued to talk. She stared down at her plate, mushing the chicken around. It was barely edible anyway. She couldn't believe her mother had staged this and tried to act like it was all some big surprise.

If she left the room, would they even notice? If she didn't want this, would they even care?

Suddenly, she had to get out. Her feet danced under her seat, and her nerves sang so loudly she was sure they would soon hear her losing her mind.

"Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom."

Her mother barely nodded at her as she ran up the stairs, almost tripping in her haste.

She shut her door softly and slid down it, closing her eyes. Then, she had a thought, and stood up abruptly.

Casting a look at the door, she crept over to her desk. It was covered in notebooks and pens, novels and magazines, so she was sure her mother hadn't seen.

She hoped she hadn't.

Digging underneath her English homework, she pulled out the pile of letters.

Her mother could not see them. Her mother, who thought she'd applied to school with an undeclared major that she could change. Her mother, who was oblivious to the writing programs she had fought like hell to get into.

Her mother, who very may well kill her for this.

She took all the envelopes, her palms now sweating, and jammed them into her desk drawer. Her mother barely stepped foot in here, and certainly wouldn't poke around in her desk.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Shay wiped her hands on her jeans.

_I can do this. I can do this._

She repeated this in her head as walked from the room, walking down the stairs slowly. She increased the volume as she heard words like _exams_ and _residency_ filter in her brain. And she absolutely screamed it as she pretended to have an appetite, smiling at Dr. Hank as she wished to be anywhere else in the world.

* * *

Short but needed. More Jacob in the next! :) Anyone still with me?


	7. Chapter 7

"Every new friend is a new adventure...the start of more memories."

-Patrick Lindsay

* * *

Shay took a black pen and wrote the letters on her hand.

I-m-p-a-v-i-d.

Not afraid. Fearless. Maybe if she kept looking at it, kept repeating it in her head she would start to believe in it. Maybe she could live the life she wanted, and not worry about expectation and pressure and regret.

Her mother was practically glowing after Dr. Hank left the night before. Shay had gone to bed immediately with a headache and went to school so early this morning the teachers had barely arrived.

She sighed and turned her attention back to Mr. Acacia. She'd read To Kill a Mockingbird at least three times, and could only talk about Boo Radley so much without drifting off. She rested her head on her palm and listened to her teacher's voice without really hearing the words.

The worst part was that Kim wasn't in school.

She had texted her twice, but she hadn't answered. Shay was a little worried—Kim always told her when she was going to be absent. Maybe she caught a flu or something and slept in. She would have to ask Jared.

_Jared._

Their big talk was last night. Was Kim absent because of that? Shay couldn't imagine what Jared would have to say, but it was kind of a coincidence that Kim was nervous about it and then out of school today.

If he broke up with her, Shay would pummel him. Well...correction-she would _try_ to pummel him. She'd probably break her hand in the process.

Shay smiled at her own joke and shook her head, shifting in her seat. Of course, she chose that moment to make eye contact with a navy shirted, grim faced Jacob. He saw her smile and gave her a weird look. She squirmed in her seat. _Great, he now both hates me and thinks I'm a weirdo._

She frowned and looked away, running her hands over the edges of her book and pretending to be enthralled in Mr. Acacia. Her cheeks were burning and once again she felt like her and Kim had switched bodies.

What had her life become? Her best friend was MIA, she was avoiding her own home like the plague, and every time Jacob Black was in the room she felt like her skin was on fire.

Well, she could control one of those things. Taking a glance down at her hand, she looked back to Jacob, who sensed her attention and locked eyes with her again.

Gathering up all the fierceness she had, she matched his gaze, hoping it radiated the defiance she wanted it to. _God, his eyes were brown. Like the ground in the forest. No, stop it! They are brown like mud. Dirty. Ugly. Keep strong._

It must have worked because Jacob broke their staring contest and slumped into his chair, his eyes now on his notebook despite it not even being open.

Shay smirked and turned back to the blackboard, starting to write down the notes that Mr. Acacia was scribbling there. It wasn't much, but she felt a little bit braver than before.

* * *

Kim was sitting at the lunch table alone. Shay's heart sank—this was not a good sign. It was good Kim had finally arrived at school, but not good that she was currently Jared-less. Shay slunk to the table quietly, as if her lighter footsteps would somehow help the situation.

_Impavid_, Shay affirmed. If they broke up, Shay would have to be fearless for Kim.

Kim looked up from her tray as Shay slid into the chair opposite her. She looked tired, and her usual straight hair was in a messy bun. She'd traded her normally casual wardrobe for an even more casual look—a big long sleeved shirt and sweatpants. Shay searched for words that wouldn't be too blunt.

"Hey, where were you this morning?" she settled on, hoping Kim would give her some indication of what was going on. She laid her food carefully in front of her, keeping her eyes on Kim's unreadable expression.

"Sorry I didn't answer your text. Jared and I were talking late and I overslept. My mom is so used to me being early, she didn't even notice I hadn't left. You think Helen could have woken me," she grumbled.

"Oh. So...how was that? The talk with Jared, I mean," Shay said, attempting to keep her voice casual.

"It was...um...it was good." Kim was usually a little shy around others, a little mumbly, but not around Shay. She fixed her with a knowing gaze

"And? What was it about?" Shay took a sip of her chocolate milk.

"You were right, he's a murderer."

Shay choked, almost spitting out her drink. She swallowed quickly and grinned at Kim.

"I'm finally rubbing off on you. Only took a few years," Shay said proudly, beaming at her friend. "But, really...what did he say?"

Kim's eyes trailed to the window and Shay suddenly realized that she _wasn't_ completely Jared-less. He was outside, laughing as he tossed a football to Paul. Shay squinted and saw four more bodies, one of which appeared to be Quil. She somehow knew the person next to him was Jacob, but she would not let herself linger on why she could recognize him instantly.

The field behind the school was little more than dead grass at this point, even though it was finally thawing outside. They weren't even wearing jackets in the wind. These boys had a serious aversion to clothing. Not that Shay found herself minding too much—although she dragged her gaze back to Kim as she started to speak.

"Just that he's...um, well he told me some...history. And he wants to be...exclusive."

"History like girls he's been with?"

Kim's skin was dark, but Shay could always tell when she was blushing. It gave her a nice rosy hue.

"More like...his life history," Kim corrected. "But mostly about us."

"That's nice I guess." Shay frowned. "I wonder why he was so serious about it."

Kim opened her mouth again, but closed it quickly in favor of a shrug.

"They're a weird bunch," Shay commented when she saw Kim wouldn't answer. She nibbled on the corner of her turkey sandwich.

"They're sweet," Kim said dreamily, her eyes glazing over in adoration. Shay suppressed an eye roll. "Would you date any of them?" Kim asked, keeping her eyes on her own sandwich and dropping her voice.

Shay laughed, looking outside to where the game had turned ugly and two boys were now wrestling on the ground. She couldn't see faces, but she could bet one of them was Paul. Almost as if they could sense her gaze, she noticed that a few of them had turned to where her and Kim sat by the window.

Shay waved awkwardly, Kim's hand raising slowly after her.

_Jacob_, her mind silently answered Kim, but just as her mind betrayed her he instantly looked away. She pushed that thought down far, far away into the depths of things that would never happen. Maybe if he stopped being an asshole. A gorgeous asshole.

"Uh, maybe Quil, he's cute. Or Embry," Shay finally answered, turning back to her food.

Kim's eyes grew wide and her gaze flicked outside.

"Ok, never mind, stupid question," she protested, taking a huge bite of her sandwich so bread filled her mouth.

"What's the matter?" Shay asked, following Kim's eyes out the window. The boys now seemed to be laughing, or at least, half of them were. Jacob stood rigidly to the side, his back to her, but she could see his hands clenched at his sides. Jared was trying to put a hand on his shoulder, but he shoved it off roughly. _What's he moody about now?_ She wondered.

"Nothing. So what did I miss this morning?" Kim continued, still seeming a little twitchy.

"Uh, not much. I almost fell asleep in English. I got a 100 on our math quiz. Oh, and Gordon knocked a book on me again. I'm starting to suspect he's doing it on purpose..."

* * *

"Maybe you can try to be a little nice to her?" Jared said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Jacob glared at Jared, wishing he would stop saying that and shrugged his hand off.

"Why? It doesn't exactly matter."

Bella—he wanted to date Bella. He was in love with Bella, so Shay could do what she wanted.

"It doesn't matter that your imprint would rather date me than you?" Embry asked, raising a taunting eyebrow at him as he threw Quil the football.

Jacob growled. He wished he was in wolf form just to tear into Embry for that one. He could feel his hand trembling and steadied it, taking a breath.

"So date her."

Even as the words left his mouth they tasted wrong, felt wrong, landed in the air like a huge weight.

"I'd rather not be on your list of people to murder when you come to your senses," Embry shuddered, easily catching the pass from Quil.

"I'm not going to come to my senses," Jacob said, his blood starting to boil. He was sick of everyone saying that. "I'm fine. I'm dealing with it. I wish everyone would stop fucking talking about it."

Everyone grew silent then, Quil halting in throwing the ball. They had been looking at him like this since it happened, like he was a grenade. But he wasn't going to explode. This was a flaw in the system, and he was going to move on with his life how he wanted.

"Well, I guess I'd date her," Paul finally broke the silence, shrugging his shoulders.

Instantly, the tension lifted and Jared let out a hearty laugh, followed quickly by Quil and Embry. Seth still looked a little wary, and merely smiled as Jacob rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, walking back toward the school.

* * *

Kim was taking her time. Shay sighed and sat under a tree near the main doors of school, watching her classmates rejoice for the weekend and practically run to their cars and bikes. She smiled at a few people, but didn't say anything—she could get a start on her homework if Kim's tardiness lately would repeat itself.

Shay shifted and leaned against the trunk, taking her notebook from her dad's bag and started to write down ideas for her writing class assignment. Unlike the members of Jared's circle of friends, she was cold out here and tried to pull down the sleeves of her peacoat as far as she could while still being able to hold her pen.

_Write about your first memory._

Not her favorite assignment. She actually wasn't sure what her first memory was—maybe she could make it up.

"Doing the assignment for Harrison's class?"

Shay's heart skipped as she looked up into Simon Hote's eyes. She hadn't spoken to him since Jacob had pegged Kala with the ball-something that still made her grin if anyone said it.

"Uh, yeah. Even though I have no idea what to say."

Simon's dimple appeared as he gave her a smile and sat down next to her.

"I have something. It was dark, and wet. I had never seen sun before, so the light blinded when I began to be pushed out—"

"Please tell me you're not talking about your birth," Shay laughed, covering her face.

"That's my first memory, Brooks," he defended with a grin, pushing up his glasses.

"It is not, you big liar," she said, rolling her eyes but grinning like an idiot.

"How do you know, can you see in my brain?" he asked, poking her in the head.

"Shay!"

Shay turned from her position to see Seth had called her name and was waving to her in his genuine, infectious way. If it was anyone else, she would be angry they were interrupting her, but it was hard to be mad at Seth's puppy dog eyes.

"Hey Seth," she nodded, watching in slight horror as he plopped down on her other side, stretching his long legs in front of him. He had on a navy blue shirt like Jacob and she smiled slightly at the resemblance.

"Hi, Simon right? I'm Seth Clearwater." Seth stretched a hand across my body to reach Simon.

"Yeah, my mom goes to your mom's store all the time," Simon said, giving Seth a smile. All traces of his playfulness toward her were fleeting, and she would have pouted if she wasn't sandwiched between them.

"Guess it's hard not to know everyone in a town this size."

Simon smiled, but didn't have a comment for Seth which caused them to descend into an uncomfortable silence.

_Say something. For the love of words, please say something,_ Shay thought, going through her brain like a filing cabinet.

"So, uh, what's up Seth?" she settled on lamely, wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Oh! Right. I was sent here to bring you to Kim's. She got a ride with Jared and couldn't find you anywhere. Plus, I am here to cordially invite you to a party tomorrow. It's my birthday, and my mom enjoys any occasion to have the pack over."

"The pack?" Shay asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Seth hissed out a breath before quickly replacing it with a smile.

"Yeah you know, the pack of us. The group. The big ole friendship...circle." He grimaced at himself as he finished.

Shay snorted and patted his arm. She had a lot of experience with regretting your lame words almost instantly as you said them.

"Sounds great, kid."

"Oh, Simon, you're welcome too, of course," Seth said, his eyes flicking to a now fidgeting Simon.

"Oh...thanks, I'll see if I can make it," Simon said, nodding at Seth before turning to her. "I've got to get going. Good luck with the assignment."

"You too, baby."

Simon froze as he was rising and Shay's cheeks flooded with red as Seth choked on air.

"I didn't mean baby, like baby, I meant baby, like you're writing about being a baby," Shay quickly amended, her voice rushing. How many times could one person say baby in a sentence? She might have broken the record. If there was any sort of cosmic justice, she would be struck by lightning right now. Maybe the tree would fall on her. Maybe someone could run her over a few times.

But Simon just chuckled, his own cheeks pink as he dusted off his black pants.

"Don't worry about it," he said easily, his dimple appearing once more. "I'll see you later?"

She nodded, afraid to open her mouth in case something else embarrassing flew out.

He walked toward the parking lot and Shay willed herself to calm down, almost forgetting Seth was there until he started tapping on her leg.

"Well, that was awkward," he said, giving her the goofiest grin she'd ever seen.

"Shut up," she grumbled, fighting the urge to hide under a rock. "I know it was."

"I didn't know you liked him."

"Who said I did?" she asked, perhaps a bit too quickly.

"Your heartbeat. And your face."

"Yeah well...I just...can we just go?" she asked pathetically, stuffing her notebook into her bag and putting the strap over herself.

"Sure thing, your chariot awaits." Seth swept his hands in a gesture toward the parking lot as she groaned and stood up from the hard ground. Seth somehow gathered up his long limbs and was already ahead of her as she ran to catch up with him.

"Wait a second, can you drive?"

"No, but Paul can, and he's probably angry we're taking so long."

She continued to jog next to him, her short legs whining in protest as her brain ran over the strange interaction she just had. She paused for a moment, squinting her eyes at Seth.

"How did you know about my heartbeat?"

"I think Kim can hear it from her house," Seth replied after a moment, and her face flushed again.

"You better watch it Clearwater, you were my favorite until today!"

Seth just tilted his head back and laughed, urging her forward as a cross-armed, glaring Paul came into view.

"I'll be your favorite again when I keep Paul from killing you," Seth quipped, laughing as she stumbled to get into the backseat.

"Good point," she mumbled, sliding into the Jeep.

Paul got in faster than she thought possible. She hoped his driving wasn't as jerky as his moods.

Her life was really changing, she thought, as she drove away from school with two people she had previously barely known her name. Seth and Paul talked in low voices so she couldn't hear them over the rock music coming from the radio. She looked out the window instead.

Maybe this change was a good thing. Save for Jacob, she had growing fondness for these overgrown teenagers. And since she had humiliated herself with Simon, she could easily hide behind the bulk of their bodies in the hallways.

She laughed at herself, drawing the attention of Paul and Seth.

"You're a little weird, you know that right?" Paul asked, taking a sharp turn that almost pushed her face against the window.

"Yeah and you're a little mean, but we're living with it," she said under her breath.

Seth barked out a laugh and Paul glared at her, but his eyes were amused. She sunk back against the door—how did they hear that? She must have been louder than she thought. Or these weirdos could add hearing sensitivity to their list of strangeness.

"We like you, Shay. I'm glad we're friends now." Seth said, his voice carrying over the radio.

Shay felt her chest tighten and loosen at once. This morning, she had practically wanted to run away. Now she was in a car with friends and had no plans of going home to that empty, maddening house.

Sure, they were slightly odd and she didn't really know them that well, but with the exception of Jacob the ass, they had welcomed her without much question. She hadn't had a lot of friends growing up, and it felt nice to be a group that seemed so close.

"Thanks, Seth," she answered, her voice almost smiling. "I'm glad too."

* * *

Thanks so much to everyone who said they were hanging on with this story! Nice to hear I'm not alone out here!

I love writing a little bitter Jacob, but I'm also kind of just loving writing about the pack. They were always my favorite part of the novels to be honest, so it's lovely to stretch my imagination a little with you all! Hope you enjoyed- let me know! :)


	8. Chapter 8

"The sky is an infinite movie to me. I never get tired of looking at what's happening up there."

-K. D. Lang

* * *

The sky was so beautiful tonight that Shay wanted to write about it. It was the exact color of sky that came to mind when one mentioned it. The kind of bright, crisp blue that made you feel the air around you, take a deep breath.

Shay did so, exhaling as she looked at the clouds—low and wispy, with the sun peeking through them.

Sun.

She'd barely seen it lately and almost rejoiced at its presence. That, and because hopefully then Seth's party wouldn't make her teeth chatter. She didn't realize it would be outdoors until Jared had picked her up and ordered her to go back inside for a heavier coat.

Kim had grinned and grabbed his hand as Shay rolled her eyes and returned with a black North Face. As if he could talk—he was wearing a flannel shirt. That's it.

Shay was excited for the party, especially after her ride with Paul and Seth the day before. But then she realized that there was one thing—or person—that could sour that mood.

Shay had been having a sinking feeling the past few days. Sure, Jacob did not like her. Glared at her all the time, seemed to want to leave his skin when she was sitting close, but she had maintained hope that he was just in a funk. That he was being like that with everyone.

But that was the thing.

He wasn't.

When she arrived and walked into the Clearwater backyard, she almost stopped dead in her tracks. Jacob was wearing a light blue plaid shirt, the sleeves rolled up around his tan forearms. His muscles—god, she wasn't sure how he got them, but she was glad they had arrived. She'd really only seen him in a t-shirt or shorts, but right now was the most put together he'd been and she almost wished he'd glare at her so she could pry her eyes away.

That was the worst part. He wasn't glaring at anyone. He was _laughing_. She'd always known Jacob before he left town, but now the memories came rushing back.

Him, flashing an impish grin at the teacher and getting out of a late slip. Him, pulling Embry into a playful headlock in the hallway. Him, joking with Quil and her hearing their laughter from across the cafeteria.

She never paid attention then, but now it seemed so obvious.

He was two different people. One with her, and _this_ without her.

What was going on? She hadn't done anything to warrant it. People didn't just dislike her so vehemently unless they were related to her. Or named Kala Hote.

She wanted answers, but she knew in her heart that she would never ask.

She would never have the courage to walk up to Jacob Black, and not because she was shy, or because she was afraid of confrontation.

She just didn't want to see the change in his face. Didn't want to see his eyes grow from sparkling to angry.

She didn't want to know that she caused it.

* * *

After a few minutes of panicking and feeling tears begin, Shay managed to calm down by telling herself she was being conceited.

She couldn't cause that much of a change in Jacob. He barely knew her. She was just being paranoid, and she needed to shake the awful feeling that lodged in her throat. And chest. And stomach. It was just her blowing things out of proportion.

Yes.

She had lost Kim when they arrived, but saw Leah sitting in a folding chair, her feet resting on a log in front of her. Like when they'd first met, she seemed bored and mad—a look only she could pull off.

Shay rushed over before she was called over to where Jacob and the guys were trying to start a fire.

"Leah, hey."

Leah rose an eyebrow at her.

"Hey."

"It's Shay," she offered, surprisingly not offended by Leah's attitude.

"I know," Leah said, scratching her arm. "I..._hear _it a lot." She rolled her eyes then, and Shay frowned.

"So this is your house," Shay said, looking into it through the windows. She could see yellow walls from here, and white washed cabinets. It must be the kitchen, because she saw a few people bustling around with trays. Her eyes trailed to where they were. It would be dark soon, so she could just see the lights they'd strung around the perimeter faintly glowing.

Leah kind of grumbled a noise in response.

Shay knew she wasn't going to be instant best friends with Leah. But she was faced with the prospect of wandering over to the rowdy boys (including a laughing Jacob) or sitting next to this quiet, maybe funny girl and she chose to sit down.

The lawn chair wobbled as she settled into it, the thatched white seat sinking as she moved her legs into a comfortable position. She couldn't help but think that if one of the guys sat in it, he'd fall right through.

"What are you doing?" Leah asked, seeming more confused than angry.

"Sitting, mostly." Shay grinned at her.

"I mean why are you sitting here?" Leah asked, gesturing to the boys who were now yelling intelligibly. "Why aren't you with your friends?"

"I thought we were friends," Shay said, giving Leah her best puppy dog eyes. "I made us matching bracelets and everything."

Leah fixed her with a look. "You're weird."

"A lot of people have been saying that lately," Shay said, scratching her head. "It might start to hurt my feelings."

"Just thought you had better hobbies than annoying me." Leah picked up a can from beside her chair and took a long sip.

"Well, what are your hobbies? Scaring children? Stealing from innocents? Breaking the law?"

Leah choked on her drink, glaring at Shay over the aluminum top.

"Tell me you're not seriously asking me these questions."

"I'm just trying to guess," Shay pointed out, wondering how long she could poke Leah before she exploded.

"You think my hobby is scaring children?" she asked in a flat tone.

"Taking candy from them?" Shay asked with a smirk.

"You're an idiot," Leah retorted, but Shay could see the corners of her mouth start to upturn.

"And you're mean. That's why we should be friends."

"But really. Why do you want to talk to me? All the guys are over there. They find you...charming." Leah settled on, shifting her legs on the log. Her sneakers were worn out and almost slid off the wood. Shay fidgeted in her own seat, sticking her cold hands in her pockets.

"Not all of them," Shay admitted, not chancing a look over to Jacob.

Leah brought out a strange confidence in her. She wanted her 'no crap' attitude to rub off. Like maybe if she was tough, everything would be easier to deal with. Maybe Jacob wouldn't bother her so much.

"Yeah, well...that's not my story to tell," Leah said, her voice softer than Shay had ever heard. She was about to open her mouth and ask what she meant when Leah rose from her seat.

"Food's coming out. Girls first."

Leah started walking toward the older women who were now carrying steaming trays to the two picnic tables pushed together on the other side of the yard. Shay could smell it from here, and her mouth started to water as she jogged after Leah.

Three women were lining the tables with more food than the last party Shay had attended with this crowd. She hadn't thought it possible, yet here it was. Hot dogs, chicken, chili, really more meat than she'd seen in her life. She guessed there was no vegetarians among these giants.

Shay had grabbed a plate and got into a sudden line behind a brown haired, somewhat familiar looking girl when Leah spoke from the side of her.

"Mom, this is Shay."

Shay recognized Mrs. Clearwater from her bakery, even though she rarely went there. She had a thin face with Leah's dark eyes, and her hair reached just past her ears. If Shay was writing her into a story, she would guess she was a confident, strong type. She had to be to produce the daughter she had.

Mrs. Clearwater looked at Leah like she had just told her aliens existed. Shay shifted on her feet, holding her paper plate in front of her like a shield.

"Nice to meet you," Shay said, giving her best smile. Mrs. Clearwater seemed to snap out of it and shook her head.

"And you! It's...nice to meet one of Leah's friends."

"She's Seth's friend," Leah corrected quickly, not even glancing at her mom as she cut Shay in line and started piling her plate with food.

Shay couldn't think of what to do so she just winked at Mrs. Clearwater, poking her head toward Leah in the process.

"Well any friend of my children is welcome," Mrs. Clearwater said, smiling. "You can call me Sue. Shay. Shay _Brooks_?"

"Yeah, that's me," Shay said, still lingering in the line as Mrs. Clearwater (she felt odd saying Sue) seemed to realize something.

"Yes, I've heard about you. I knew your grandfather. He was friends with my father when I was young. We miss him around here."

Shay nodded—she always heard this in La Push. She was sure the whole town had turned out for the funeral.

"Thank you. So do I," Shay said, biting her lip. She tried not to talk about her grandpa too much. He was one of the only people in the world who really _talked_ to her, and if she thought about it too much she'd probably break down.

"Well, I won't keep you—dig in," Mrs. Clearwater said, smiling once before turning back to the woman beside her.

Shay gave her best smile and started to fill her plate.

* * *

Spits of fire were licking against the darkness, the crackling comforting Shay as she stood in front of the fire. Kim and Jared were standing beside her, faces close together as they told a secret only people in love could understand. Paul was on her other side, attempting to poke a marshmallow into the flames. So far he'd burnt four, and ate them anyway.

Jacob was on Paul's other side, but Shay was ignoring that.

"You're holding it too close," she chastised Paul as another one of his marshmallow's was set on fire.

"How do you know I don't like them burnt?" he asked, sticking a tongue out at her.

She rolled her eyes. She used to think he was such a tough guy.

Tucking her hair into her hood, she held her hands in front of her, facing the fire. Her fingers had turned into icicles somewhere between her first and second hot dog and she was just getting feeling back into them as Seth appeared beside her.

"There you are!"

"I've been here for hours, Seth," Shay laughed as he bounded up next to her. He too was not adequately dressed, but at least he had on a gray sweatshirt—more than she could say for the rest of them.

"Yes, but you haven't talked to me," he whined, pouting.

"Sorry birthday boy," Shay apologized, sticking her hands into her pockets. "You're just too popular, I couldn't get near you."

"Understandable." Shay gave her a mega-watt grin. "I was just-"

"Cake!"

Sue Clearwater's voice rang out across the entire backyard, stopping Seth midsentence. Seemingly unconcerned with his previous thought, his eyes lit up.

"Let's go, Brooks," he said, clapping her on the shoulder.

Seth pushed harder than he had to, and Shay wheezed and was jostled forward, almost losing her footing. She would have landed in the fire if two hands hadn't gripped her shoulders, easily lifting her two feet backwards.

She could feel warmth even through her jacket as her eyes trailed up from the tan, strong fingers gripping her to the face of Jacob Black.

He was not looking at her, but rather glaring at a wide eyed Seth. It was one of the few times she hadn't seen a grin on his face.

"I'm sorry, man!" Seth squeaked, "I forget sometimes, how strong I am now."

Shay wanted to point out that she should be the one being apologized too, but for some reason she felt like she shouldn't be interrupting this...weird...moment.

Plus, if she spoke, she was pretty sure the very warm hands of Jacob Black would leave her body and she wasn't quite ready for that yet.

"Just watch it," Jacob said, giving Seth one more lasting look.

Shay looked back and forth between them, confusion flooding her veins.

And then Jacob suddenly snapped out of whatever trance he was in and looked down at her. Instantly, his hands flew from her shoulders like she was a walking disease. Afraid of whatever he might say, not even bothering to say thank you, she turned on her heel and fled toward the house.

* * *

When Jake was on patrol later, he tried to keep his thoughts clear. Restricted only to the pounding of his heart and the feel of dirt between his paws. He thought he was doing a great job until Sam phased in, and then questions he did not mean to ask came pouring out of him.

Rather, one question. The one that had been following him day and night, asleep and awake.

_How can I imprint if I already love someone?_

Jake could feel Sam take in the question. He could feel his emotions, the confusion and the hurt and the understanding. Jacob was suddenly overwhelmed with relief. Sam had been trying to tell him all along and he never realized-Sam had gone through the same thing. Well, almost the same thing. Sam _understood._

_Of course I understand, idiot. That's what I've been saying all this time._

_But why? _Jake could not get it. _Why did it happen?_

_Because every love is not equal. And some love is not lasting, no matter how it feels at the time._

_But I love Bella. _Jake insisted, her face flashing against his eyelids. Even as he said it, he felt he was grasping at something. At the idea of her that was somehow gnawing away at him.

_I loved Leah. But sometimes, things need to change. Sometimes other things fit better, and you don't know until later. You're just scared because something showed you your future and you're still in your present._

Jake did not blow up this time. Did not curse Sam, or imprinting, or even Shay.

Instead he stayed quiet and took it all in, ran until the sun poked through the treetops.

* * *

Keep the reviews coming! The longer the better! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**"Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change."**

-Confucius

* * *

Shay had a long list of things to do, and being at her mother's lab was not one of them.

Unfortunately, her car decided to work that day, so here she was. White walls and test tubes, vials that held liquids she didn't want to think about, and four snotty white-coated interns who hung on her mother's words like fanatics.

Let's just say they weren't happy that their coveted positions could be infiltrated by a Vans-wearing, bleary-eyed newbie who clutched her notebook instead of a clipboard.

Her mother eyed her outfit with only minor disdain before setting her on a menial task while she went to a meeting.

Shay's eyes almost rolled to the ducts in the ceiling. Leave it to her mother to impress on her the importance of this work, not actually trust her to do it, and then strand her there for something more important.

She should be home doing her math homework. She should be finishing her history essay. She should be trying to find a local business person to interview for her assigned newspaper article. And she should definitely be trying to finish all those things so she could attend Kim's family dinner.

"Shay, focus!"

Her mother's voice pierced through the quiet atmosphere, jarring her back into sorting samples.

She heard some of the interns snicker behind her, and fought the urge to flip them off.

**One more hour.**

One more hour until this was over. One more hour until she could flee to Kim's house, where Kim's mom would probably embrace her and tell her she hadn't seen her in so long.

"Shay! You remember what I told you to do, right?"

Shay grumbled in response, picking up the file in front of her with a scowl.

"Do you need help over there?" a red-headed intern asked, her freckles moving as her face contorted into a smirk.

Shay glared at her.

_Monachopsis_, she thought. _The subtle, persistent sense of feeling out of place_.

Well, not exactly subtle, she supposed. But definitely out of place.

One.

More.

Hour.

* * *

Her article was due in two days, and after a quick and curt text from Leah (the only kind she wrote), Shay had an idea.

_Sue Clearwater._

Not only was she a local business person, but she owned _a bakery_, and Shay's stomach could kindly welcome a baked good or two right now.

"Just a little longer," she said, tapping her dashboard as her car chugged steadily forward. "A few feet now."

Her brakes squealed as she pulled into the parking lot and she cringed, hoping no one noticed.

The bakery was nestled between a dry cleaner and a souvenir store. The outside was brick, but the huge windows gleamed with brightly colored signs and those fake desserts meant to lure people in.

It was working on Shay, who could smell chocolate chip cookies from here. She sniffed again. Maybe cake. Or something...cinnamon-y? She let her nose pull her toward the front door.

A bell jangled as she shuffled in. She immediately felt relaxed in the atmosphere. The inside combined elements of a classic bakery, with glass cases and displays with an old diner with checkerboard flooring.

Shay reached into her big bag for her notebook. Her newspaper articles had their own—red and covered in metallic stars.

Sue Clearwater was behind the counter, a blue plaid apron tied around her. Her hair, though short, was tucked into a small ponytail. She smiled at Shay with tired eyes and put down the pink box she was filling with chocolate chip cookies, gesturing to a younger, shorter girl to take over.

"Shay! Leah told me you'd be coming by," Sue greeted, wiping her hands on her apron. "Come, come." She walked around the counter, un-doing her apron strings and slinging it over a chair. "Sit."

Shay walked over to one of just a few white tables with curvy, ornate matching chairs. She let her bag fall to the floor, opening her notebook to her page of questions. She took a deep breath of the sugary air and grinned at the woman across from her.

"Thanks so much, Mrs. Clearwater." She grabbed a pen, taking the cap off. "It won't take long."

"Sue," she correctly, firmly but with an amused glint. "And it's no problem at all."

Shay gave an apologetic shrug, and looked down at her questions. She could never imagine her mother telling any of her friends to call her Fiona.

"Okay, so first question, when did you open up shop?"

"Oh, about...five years ago now. I waited until the kids were a little older because I knew it would take a lot of work at first."

Shay nodded, scribbling this down.

"Why did you choose a bakery?"

"Well, Mr. Morris closed down the closest one in Forks a few years ago. And I knew it was something I could do, and people would appreciate."

"And what do you think is the hardest part of owning a small business?"

"Hm...I'd have to say just handling the responsibility. Even when someone else is here, helping you out, you worry about it because it's _yours_. Your success or your failure." Sue tucked a stray piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear.

"That makes sense," Shay agreed, writing furiously. "What would you say you like the most?"

"Definitely the baking." Sue smiled. "I've always found it therapeutic. And seeing people enjoy something I made is really rewarding."

"Well, I know my mouth is watering just thinking about it," Shay grinned.

"You'll have to get something on the way out, of course," Sue smiled back, "And no sharing with the boys. Just for you."

Shay's insides twisted oddly for a moment. _No sharing with the boys_. The thought of being with all the guys, fitting in like that...When really she'd be going home to her empty, quiet house. Her pulse raced but she covered it up with quickly asking her next question.

"Was it an instant success, or something you worked up to?" Shay asked, writing down some of Sue's past words.

"Oh, definitely a thing that grew. But you know La Push, we all know everyone else. So word of mouth spread quickly. It helps that we like to have lots of parties—people always need desserts."

Shay laughed, nodding her head. She hadn't noticed until she started hanging out with Jared and the guys, but they certainly did seem to get together a lot. She wasn't complaining.

"I've noticed recently just how much people can eat," Shay commented, grinning.

"Yes, and my son is one of them. He could eat that entire case of cake if I let him." Sue shuddered as Shay laughed. "Oh, speak of the devil."

Shay looked over to where Sue's gaze lingered and saw Seth and Leah walking through the doorway. Leah had a rare small smile on her face, which Shay realized only made an appearance at times she wasn't surrounded by all the guys. Shay had been wondering what exactly was the reason for it, but she feared for her life if she asked.

"Hey mom," Seth waved. His hair was wet, and she could see him run a hand through it as Leah raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled as Seth locked eyes with her. "Shay, what're you doing here?"

"Interviewing your mom." She picked up her notebook to show him. "She was nice enough to let me pester her."

"It was no trouble! Do you have any more questions?" Sue asked.

"I think I have enough. I might just have a look around, if that's okay?"

"Knock yourself out." Sue rose from her chair and slung the apron back over her head. "No rest for the weary." She gave Shay one more smile before heading back toward the counter.

"You guys just visiting?" Shay asked as Seth folded his long limbs into the chair. Leah had followed her mother after giving her a nod hello.

"I wish," Seth leaned on his hand, yawning widely. "One of Mom's employees had a baby, and she's been a little short-staffed. So me and Leah come when we can."

"That's nice of you."

"More like required of me," Seth mumbled, his eyes closing briefly. "Wake me if she's looking."

Shay grinned and continued writing some of her notes as Seth shut his eyes.

"Will do."

* * *

Jake sat with Quil and Embry, not really listening to their conversation. He'd had a nightmare the night before, one he couldn't remember but that left his heart racing.

When he closed his eyes, he could feel his stomach turning. So, he'd stayed awake. Read a car magazine, watched awful late night television, and finally took a run.

He could still feel the weird sensation in the pit of his stomach. He was short with his dad, almost hung up when his sister called, and had barely said a word the whole day.

He still couldn't remember his dreams, but when they rattled him like this, they were usually about Bella. He hadn't spoken to her in a week. He knew she was getting married soon, and the thought made his insides curl.

He had to talk to her soon. He had to hear what she was thinking. He had to change her mind.

"Jake? Earth to Jake?"

Jake snapped out of his thoughts and looked over to Quil who turned from the front seat to wave a hand in front of his face.

"What?"

"We're picking up Seth then Sam wants us to meet at his house."

Quil flashed him a quick look before jumping from the car, Embry following suit from the passenger side. Jake looked around, surprised he hadn't even noticed the car was driving into town or stopping.

He exited the car so much slower than Quil and Embry that they were already inside when his hand touched the door.

He took in a deep breath as he walked to the table Quil and Embry were blocking with their bodies. His nose was tingling from the smells in the air. Since his senses were heightened, he sometimes played a game of picking out each individual smell.

So far, he could sense vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, cherry, Shay's shampoo—Shay?

His feet carried him forward and he could make out just a sliver of her body between the boys surrounding her. She was laughing at Quil, who was patting her head with one hand, her brown hair puffing up as he did so. Her smile made her face open up.

Last night.

His dream had _her_ in it.

The realization hit him suddenly, making his fists curl at his sides. He only had fragments, but seeing her here—he could remember her being there. Remember feeling like he wanted to get to her. _But why_?

"Jake, are you going to stand there all day?" Embry had turned from the table and was giving Jacob a confused look. "You ok?"

Jake blinked for a second, taking a breath and stretching out his fingers.

This was just his mind playing with him because of the imprinting. He could do this. He could stand here and be normal. He'd call Bella later, and sort out what was really on his mind. He shook his head and walked over to the guys, not looking down at Shay.

* * *

_There's no use_, Shay thought_, in caring about someone who has made a decision not to care about you._

She held onto that thought in her mind as Jacob Black walked over to her table, her notebook held safely under her clenched hands.

Of course, she was still glad she had cleaned the chocolate donut off her face before he'd come in. And that she'd worn her jeans and her favorite knitted sweater instead of her ratty sweatpants.

But besides that, she was ignoring him.

"We're gonna be late," Embry announced, tapping his wrist despite not wearing a watch. "Let's kiss Shay good-bye."

Shay could feel herself blush even though he gave her an instigating grin that had her rolling her eyes. Jacob grunted a noise besides Embry that sounded like a growl, but she was too busy avoiding his beautiful eyes to look. He probably wanted to get out of there.

"Me first," Quil said, leaning over to peck her on the head.

Shay's blush deepened—she thought they were joking.

"Me next." Embry seemed to take pleasure in her discomfort and planted a wet kiss on her cheek.

"Gross, Em." She wiped off her cheek with a frown, glaring at him.

"Sorry about him." Seth, although the confident, friendliest one, seemed a little shy but kissed her other cheek anyway, his own ears reddening.

"Jacob, say good-bye."

If eyes could melt, Embry would be a pile of useless goo at Jacob's feet. Shay could feel her heart thundering and was glad that her hair was covering her flaming ears.

Jacob would literally rather melt her than kiss her. The thought made her chest constrict.

"I've got to get going too," she said quickly. "I'll walk out with you guys," she finished, tugging her bag off the floor.

Of course, its contents spilled onto the checkerboard floor. Shay groaned in frustration, but was also somewhat happy that she could bend over and avoid the boys' eyes.

"Wow, how does one tiny person carry so many books?" Quil asked, stooping over to help her pick them up.

"A better question is why does one person _need _so many books?" Embry asked, picking up one that had skittered toward the counter.

"Two are for school. Three are for pleasure, depending on my mood. And three notebooks—Writing class, writing for fun, and newspaper articles," Shay listed, shoving them all back in with force. It _was_ getting a little crowded in there.

"Here, I'll carry them to your car," Seth volunteered, grabbing the strap from her.

"That's fine, Seth, I can handle it."

"We're going the same way anyway," Seth insisted.

She bit back another protest, seeing as he was already four steps ahead of her, and followed a smiling Quil as they headed out the door.

* * *

"Better watch out, or our little Seth's going to steal your imprint," Embry joked, clapping Jake on the shoulder as Seth got into the car.

He shrugged off his hand and pushed his shoulder, wanting to either punch him in the face or turn into a wolf on the spot. He wondered what would happen to Quil's backseat if he exploded.

"Woah, I was just kidding." Embry held his hands up in surrender.

"I wouldn't do that!" Seth squeaked from the front seat, his eyes wide.

Jake ignored him and felt his rage growing like a tangible thing inside of him. The scenery streaked by in a blur as Quil floored it to Sam's, probably scared of Jacob transforming any second.

He wondered if they could see the haze of anger around him. He felt like it was a cloud he couldn't breathe through.

As Quil parked in Sam's driveway and they all filed out, Jake couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I know what you're doing," Jake growled. "All of you."

"Oh yeah? And what are we doing?" Quil asked, raising an eyebrow. Seth looked nervous and avoided his eyes as his gaze passed over everyone.

"You're making her be _around_ all the time so I'll start to like her. Well it's not working. Even that weird as fuck kissing thing." He glared at Embry again for emphasis, his mind replaying his lips on Shay's cheek. He could hear her heartbeat thundering. He felt like his blood itself was on fire.

"We're having her around because she's part of the pack now, whether you like it or not." Embry's own anger was starting to rise and his eyes narrowed into slits. "Just because you're an asshole to her doesn't mean we have to be."

Through his reeling mind, he noticed Jared and Paul had exited the house and were by their side instantly.

"I am not an asshole," Jacob growled. "I'm just keeping my distance. And I thought as my best friends you would be on my side!"

"Your side is not a side! It's hiding! Do you know what it's like to patrol with you? Your mind is driving me crazy!" Embry ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up.

"Yeah, well you think it's fun to you hear you guys? I don't fucking care about Claire's teacher, I don't have nightmares about Emily, and I know who my dad is."

Instantly, he regretted his choice of words, but it was too late. Embry was launching at him, his clothes ripping to shreds as he phased.

Jacob followed soon after, welcoming the change.

* * *

**Sorry for the short wait with this one! Hope you enjoyed some (more) brooding Jacob! Happier times ahead (maybe?) LOVE your reviews, keep them coming! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

"Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."

-Steve Jobs

* * *

Jake had red cuts on his arms and legs as he sunk onto the porch steps. They were already fading but stung slightly as he touched them. He had thrown on a pair of Sam's old, denim shorts before bypassing everyone in the living room in favor of the fresh air.

Moments later, he heard the door creak open. He didn't bother to look up as he heard footsteps come toward him.

"You got me good on the arm."

Embry lowered himself next to Jake, also clad in one of Sam's old pairs of shorts. He rubbed his shoulder slightly, raising his eyebrows at Jacob.

"I'm sorry." Jake let all the air out of his lungs. His anger had dissipated after getting it all out fighting Embry, and now he just felt like an idiot.

"Don't worry, it's already healing," Embry said, giving him a smirk.

Jacob knew that Embry knew what he meant. But even though Embry could joke around, he was quick to forgive. He liked that about him—it was a good match for his stubbornness sometimes.

"I meant I'm sorry I was such an asshole," Jake corrected, biting his lip. Usually he might let it go, but he needed to say it. "I didn't mean to...well...you know. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Embry shrugged, leaning back so his hands were behind him. "I was kind of asking for it."

"You kissed her," Jacob pointed out, his eyes narrowing for a second.

"On the cheek!" Embry defended, his cheek twitching. "But it won't happen again."

"No, it won't." Jake started for a second, his eyes widening. He hadn't even meant to say that. A grin stretched across Embry's face, but he looked away before he could lock eyes with him.

"I get it," Embry said. "Well, sort of. I can only see what you guys go through...it kind of all just got to me. Thought you could use a shove in the right direction before you exploded."

"Turns out I exploded anyway."

"Better on me than someone else."

"Yeah." Jake sighed. He felt better than he had this morning, but he could still feel a headache forming at his temples. He massaged them, speaking through his fingers. "It's kind of messing me up."

"We've noticed." Embry said, his tone flat. Jake didn't have to look at him to know he was probably rolling his eyes. "I just have to say this before you punch me again. But...it would be a lot easier if you stopped fighting it all the time. You do know that, right?"

Jacob didn't bother trying to push down his automatic reply. He didn't bother to fight the feeling, or to convince himself that Embry was as delusional as his own stupid body was. Instead, he finally let out the truth that had been harboring inside of him.

"Yeah." He let out a long sigh. "I know."

* * *

Shay was bored, again. Tomorrow was Monday, but she had already finished all her homework, typed up her newspaper article, and studied as much as her brain would let her for her Physics test. She wandered around the house aimlessly, sliding down the hallways for a while before retreating back to her room.

Her mom had texted her that she would actually be home for dinner- a late dinner of course, but Shay still had another hour before then.

She looked around her room. It hadn't changed much since they'd moved here five years ago. Despite her protests to paint her walls lime green, they'd stayed a neutral gray. To compensate, she had covered every inch of one of them in posters. She scanned over them now—pictures of a boy band she no longer listened to, her first newspaper article, the Harry Potter cast, Edgar Allan Poe, and a few old postcards from her grandma.

She'd have to decorate better when she went to college.

Slumping into her desk, she started to put away her schoolwork into her bag when her hand crept toward the drawer.

Looking around—as if her mother would suddenly pop from her closet—she pulled out her college letters.

She had to do this. She had to choose her own path, no matter what her mother said. She felt like a weight was tied around her ankles every time her mother brought up her future. Why did she get to decide? She never agreed with Shay on anything in her life, so maybe she should realize picking her career path wouldn't work out either.

Shay closed her eyes, wishing not for the first time that her grandpa was here.

_"__Why aren't you listening to me?"_

_"__Because we are not having this discussion," her mother snipped. "Now get ready, your father is taking you to school."_

_Shay's anger was usually hot fire, but this time it was a cold ice spreading through her. Her body stiffened with it, making her freeze in her steps and breathe before she could even go forward. Her mother never listened to a word she said unless it was agreeing with her. How could she be so oblivious?_

_Her mother didn't utter another phrase as she left the kitchen, her heels clacking against the tiled floor. Shay slumped against the counter, rubbing her head._

_"__Don't let her get to you, pititchu."_

_Shay's spine relaxed hearing her grandpa's nickname for her. Moon. She never really asked why, but just having a nickname made her heart swell. He rested a hand on her shoulder, making her turn to him._

_"__How can you handle her, Grandpa?" Her voice was rushed. "She never thinks about anyone but herself."_

_Her grandpa stilled for a moment, his face searching hers. It was one of his good days—she could tell just by the fact that he was walking. His wrinkles seemed less on days like this, because his eyes shone just like her dad's when he was excited about something._

_"__I know I should be telling you to respect your elders." He let his hand fall and walked a few steps toward the kitchen table, taking a seat in the small, wooden chair. "But I think you're old enough to know that your parents and I don't exactly see eye to eye."_

_Shay felt a tingling anticipation as she walked toward the table. She was thirteen now, but her family still treated her like a child. Her grandpa talked to her like an adult, and it made her bones sing with confidence._

_"__Why don't you, Grandpa?" she asked, taking the seat next to him and turning her body to face his._

_"__The Quileute people have a lot of legends. Of course, they're just legends, but a lot of our ways of life...well let's just say your mother doesn't believe in them. She's a black and white person."_

_Shay had heard this phrase before, and thought it perfectly suited her mother. She was going to agree, but she wanted her grandpa to keep talking, so she kept her gaze on him as he met her eyes._

_"__Always be gray, pititchu. You never know something until you've heard all the sides, and sometimes even then there isn't a right and wrong."_

_"__I understand." Shay felt herself nod, and then felt her grandpa's hand take hers._

_"It will be hard for you. I won't always be around, and your parents don't understand. They are brain people, but you have to follow your heart, sometimes, my love." He squeezed her fingers tightly. "Don't let them tell you your heart is not important._"

**My heart is important,** Shay affirmed, the memory clinging to her.

She squeezed the letters in her hands before putting them back in the drawer with a smile.

* * *

Embry was right. As Jacob sat in the wooded area near Shay's house, he already felt better. Sometimes on patrol, he would sweep the perimeter around her house—make sure nothing was there. But he'd never let himself get too close.

Now, as he did, he felt his chest loosen.

_You'll feel the pull_, Sam had warned. And he did. But he never let himself _get_ pulled. Until now.

Her house was tiny, about the size of his. It lacked anything colorful—everything was white and gray. Even the porch had no flowers or chairs. Jacob noticed Shay's hunk of junk car parked in the driveway. He felt nervous just looking at it.

He peered inside the windows, which were now visible as the night got darker. He could hear the hum of a television, but he hadn't heard Shay speak, so she must be alone.

Where was her family? He wracked his brain to think of anything she or Kim had said, but he couldn't remember if she had brothers or sisters. If she did, they weren't here now.

His heart stuttered as he saw a shadow moving down the stairs—and then Shay came into view.

She was wearing black pants and an oversized sweatshirt that read SAN FRANCISCO on it in bold purple letters. He remembered when she moved here from California-the school was abuzz about it since they didn't usually get newcomers. But he'd never really talked to her and he suddenly didn't know why.

She reached the landing of the stairs with a hop and then ran a few feet to slide on her socks. He would have smiled if he wasn't in wolf form, but instead he moved a foot closer as she disappeared from his sight.

She was so...he couldn't place it. Unaware? Awkward? Cute? Even when he wanted to hate her, he couldn't. It wasn't her fault that all this happened.

And yet...maybe staying away from her was a good thing. If he got too close she might get the wrong impression. Sometimes protectiveness can read as love, and he didn't want to lead her on.

He'd been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't noticed her footsteps coming toward him until the front door opened slowly.

The light spilled onto the porch, back-lighting Shay's small frame. He quickly moved back into the shadows of the trees in case she looked over to the forest, but she was more intent on the bowls in her hands.

Bowls?

Jacob watched her balance the two bowls in her hands and push the screen open, using her butt to hold it while she bent over to place them on the floor. Her hair fell in front of her. It was getting long, and it looked slightly wavy as it obscured her face. He liked it curly—it felt well with her cheekbones.

He moved on from studying to her to wonder what she was doing, before it clicked.

Oh god. She was feeding stray cats. The irony struck him for a moment and he shook his head.

Hopefully she was a dog person, too.

He watched her re-enter the house and the light retreated back inside when she shut the door. He could hear her now—a light hum escaping her.

He laid down for a moment, putting his head on his paws.

Okay, so this was what it felt like to give in. Sort of tranquil, and relaxing. His limbs felt lighter, but his brain was giving him trouble.

He had a nagging feeling like he was betraying Bella just by being here. Like if he gave into Shay all together, he was giving up on Bella and letting her become a leech.

And although he didn't know if the relief outweighed the guilt, and although he wasn't ready to give up on Bella...

_He had to know her._

* * *

Shay got the idea somewhere between putting away her article and realizing she wouldn't even be able to afford textbooks for college.

_She needed a job._

If she was going to do this, she needed time to convince her mother she had thought it all out. So, she reached for her phone, pressing 'Call' and holding her breath.

"Hello?"

"Leah! Hey."

"Hey Shay, what's up?"

She actually sounded in a good mood, which gave Shay hope.

"I was just wondering if your mom still needed help at the bakery..."

* * *

BOOM! Pretty quick update, huh?

Reviews are my everything!


	11. Chapter 11

"Willingness to change is a strength, even if it means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while."

Jack Welch

* * *

"Good morning."

It was Saturday and Shay almost jumped in surprise seeing at her mother. She sat with her legs crossed on the living room couch, clad in navy blue plaid pajamas and clutching the newspaper in her hands.

It felt strange to see her here. Shay usually stayed in her room, where the TV was, and kind of thought of the living room as a strange, unused movie set.

Her mom pushed a pair of thin wire frames on top of her head as she looked at Shay with raised eyebrows.

"You wear glasses?" Shay asked.

"One of the hazards of getting older," her mother smiled. "Come, sit."

Shay had already changed out of her pajamas and felt odd being more put together than her mother was. Following her orders, she sat beside her on the light gray couch and mirrored her mother's crossed legs.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm really proud of the work you've been doing at the labs. I know the other interns had a leg up on you, but Dr. Hank was impressed with how you handled the blood samples."

Shay nodded politely, hoping her mouth wouldn't betray the guilt pouring through her. Her mother actually thought this internship would be leading somewhere.

"I've never really talked to you about the experiments we're doing, have I?" her mother asked, folding the paper in half and putting it on the bare coffee table.

"Um...no, not exactly." Shay shifted, turning more toward her mother. "I know you're trying to cure genetic diseases."

"Right. Well, have you heard of gene therapy?"

Shay had heard her dad talk about it before...oh, a thousand times or so.

"It's when you try to repair dysfunctional genes with normal ones."

Shay's mom took on what deemed her "science look" which was basically a far away, semi-glassy eyed state. Her dad got it too, to the point where sometimes Shay thought they didn't even know she was in the room.

"Yes. As you know, sometimes mutated genes can cause serious problems." Shay briefly thought of X-Men, but pushed down the thoughts. "So," her mother continued, "if we isolate a person's normal, functioning DNA we put it into something called a vector. We inject that vector into infected cells and hope that the proper proteins will be produced and return the cell to normal, thus eliminating the infected cells with these new ones."

Shay nodded as her mother's eyes continued to gleam in a distant way.

"Recently Dr. Hank and I have had a new idea. You see, sometimes there are groups of people who are immune to diseases that others get altogether, or they can heal from them. So what if we isolated the properties that made them immune? We can compare it against the groups susceptible to genetic illness...The possibilities it would open it are unimaginable! If we took it far enough, we wouldn't need a cure because we could prevent the illnesses before they even started!"

"That would be...amazing, Mom." Shay knew her mother's passion was one of her more redeeming qualities—she just wished sometimes her passion was reserved for family. "I didn't know you were doing all that."

Her mother took a deep breath, nodding her head.

"I think it's time to get you into some difficult things at the lab next week," she said, placing a hand on Shay's shoulder. "Maybe get to the microscopes even. I have some slides I'd love to show you."

She looked so hopeful that Shay had to force her grimace into a grin.

"Sure, that sounds great."

Her mother nodded and smiled once more. Shay guessed it was these rare, odd moments that had once made her father love her mother. Otherwise, she wasn't sure how anyone would warm up to her.

"So what are your plans for today?"

Shay wiped her hands on her jeans (her oldest pair, Sue advised) and took a deep breath.

"I got a job actually. At the bakery in town. I thought it would be good to start saving some money."

Her mother brightened, her spine straightening.

"That's a great idea. Especially since the internship is unpaid. How did you get that?"

"Seth and Leah's mom owns it. She needed some extra help."

"Seth and Leah?" her mom asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Clearwater. They're my friends." Shay wasn't surprised her mom didn't know them. Her trips to town pretty much consisted of going to the pharmacy and back home.

"Oh. Well I think that's wonderful. When do you leave?"

"Now actually," Shay said, pulling out her phone to check the time. She was expected in 20 minutes. "Will you be here later?"

"I have a business lunch but I should be home for dinner," her mother said, pushing her glasses back down to her face. "Good luck with your first day."

Shay smiled and grabbed her bag that she'd left slumped by the front door.

"Thanks. I'll see you tonight."

* * *

Leah flicked a piece of her hair out of her face, making sure it didn't touch her gloves.

"So, last stage. We weigh everything over here," she instructed, pointing to a shining scale. "And it will tell you the amount. You put it into the cash register and press total. Then put it in the amount of cash they give you for the change."

Shay nodded, looking around at the display as she slid her gloves on. Right now, the shelves were somewhat empty, but her mouth still watered over the black and white cookies and Linzer tarts.

"Okay." She took it in. "That's not too bad."

"Nope, not rocket science."

"Just cookie science," Shay said, grabbing a cookie in her hand and pointing it at Leah.

Leah fixed her with a very pointed look.

"Stop."

Shay grinned and put the cookie back, watching as Leah hopped onto the counter. Her long legs made her black sneakers almost touch the ground.

"So, the register is mostly busy in the mornings and around lunch time. A lot of times, my mom will be in the back most of the day baking for parties and stuff."

"Great. So I've seen the register, the back, how to clean up, and how to package stuff," Shay listed, looking around the bakery. "Anything else?"

"I think that's good enough for a first day. Twenty more minutes and you're free."

"How did I do, boss?"

"Well, I only wanted to strangle you twice. So, not bad."

Shay smiled—that was as much as a compliment as she'd get from Leah, she supposed.

"Do you work here full time?" she asked Leah, straightening some of the papers near the register.

"For now," Leah shrugged, "When I'm not doing pa—"

"Pa?" Shay asked, looking up and raising an eyebrow.

"Other stuff." Leah avoided her eyes, "But I won't be here forever."

"Oh yeah? Where do you want to be?" Shay asked, letting Leah's strange behavior slide. It was Leah, after all. She was private sometimes. Usually. All the time.

"Anywhere but here," Leah's eyes were thunder and lightning. Shay wondered if there was more to the storm than she knew.

"Why do you hate it so much?" Shay asked softly, leaning against the glass case to watch Leah's face.

For a few moments, Shay thought Leah wasn't going to answer. She didn't seem like the type to open up unless you knew her for a few...oh, years. But just when Shay was going to tell her to forget about it, she was just being nosy, Leah started to speak.

"Everyone sees me as one way. One thing, and they can't get past it." Leah sighed, her voice quieter than Shay had ever heard it. "I just want to meet someone and not have them know my whole past. Not have them look at me...well, just a blank slate, I guess."

"You mean, the guys? They're the ones who treat you that way, right?" Shay knew she was in dangerous water, but Leah nodded her head in agreement.

"They think I'm the hugest bitch on the planet."

Shay felt sorry for Leah. Her normal hard-as-nails voice had softened to pins and needles.

"You're not," Shay insisted, nudging her leg.

Leah tilted her head, looking skeptical.

"I mean, the whole _planet_?" Shay gestured in a wild circle. "The odds are in your favor, Katniss Everdeen."

"You're weird, Brooks." Leah rolled her eyes, but smirked.

Before Shay could respond, Sue Clearwater came from the back, eyeing Leah on the counter with narrowed eyes.

"I hope Leah's a good influence on you, Shay."

"She taught me how to weigh, ring up, and package," Shay chirped, giving Leah her widest smile. She simply hopped off the counter with grace.

"Good. I hope you had a good first day. Sorry I was so busy!" She turned her attention to her daughter. "I know we're closing in ten minutes, but I have a few more things to do. Leah, can you bring this to Billy?" She lifted the pink box in her hand.

"Do I have to?"

"Leah," Sue said sternly. Shay could see where Leah got her sharp look from, and she sent one right back to her mother.

"C'mon, can't you make Seth do it? Or go when you're done?"

"Leah, why is everything an argument with you? Billy is a good friend to our family, and you can drop this off for me with no complaint."

Leah's glare grew venomous, and Sue wasn't backing down. Shay felt the uncomfortable level rise in the room, and looked back and forth between the two women.

"Uh, I can go."

Two sets of similar dark eyes turned to her, one with relief and the other with surprise.

"It's alright, Shay, it's your first day. And my daughter has no reason she can't go besides the fact that she _doesn't want to_—"

"I don't mind," Shay said, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't have to be home until later. And you can consider it a thank you for hiring me?"

Leah smiled, and Sue's face softened.

"Well, if you're sure..." she trailed off, looking back to her daughter. "But this is a one time thing. Don't think Shay will always save you."

Leah was already moving, getting ready to close the bakery, and mock saluted her mother.

Sue ignored Leah and handed Shay the box in her hands.

"Ok, so it's for Billy Black. You know where it is?"

Shay froze, feeling her heart skip a beat.

"Sorry, Black...like Jacob?"

"Yes, his father. You know the house?"

Shay wanted to backpedal. Wanted to give an excuse. But Leah had already moved to the back area, and Sue was looking at her with expectant eyes, and she didn't exactly want to describe why she didn't want to visit the Black house because of a certain tall, dark eyed jerk.

So instead, she swallowed her sigh and calmed her breath and asked Sue Clearwater for the address.

* * *

Kim's idea of traffic help were usually something like _to the left of that really old oak tree_, or _just around the corner from that blue, old house_, so Shay was pleasantly surprised with Sue's clear, distinct directions.

And by pleasantly surprised, she meant she was pretty sad that she didn't get miserably lost and have to give up and turn back.

Her car slid into the ruts leading up to the walkway, brakes squeaking as she parked.

Jacob Black's house was about the size of hers, red, and had a ramp leading up to the door. It looked a little worse for wear, the paint chipping in some places and a gutter looking like it was about to reunite with the ground, but she knew Jacob was on his own with his dad so she wasn't really in a state to judge. At least, unlike her pristine house, it looked like someone lived here.

It was unfortunate for her that that someone hated her.

She grabbed her pink dessert box, making sure the contents hadn't shifted much in her trip, and practically dragged herself out of the car. The door didn't even stick in protest, but the grass underneath her shoes seemed to groan with her crawl.

She perked up, however, realizing that Jacob's bike was nowhere to be seen. With any luck, she could drop the pastries and run. A reverse, bakery burglar.

She climbed up the ramp slowly, using her knee to balance the big box as she rapped twice on the door.

She breathed out loudly, taking in the tarnished gold doorknob and the soft glow of light underneath the doorframe. It was getting darker outside, but the air felt good on her skin as she heard noises from within the house.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing a man in a wheelchair.

She knew Billy Black, of course, if only by sight. He had been at her grandpa's funeral. She could see signs of Jacob in his older face, mostly in the crinkle of his eyes.

"Hello there," he greeted, looking at her face and then her hands. "How can I help you?"

"Uh, hello, Mr. Black. I was sent from the bakery. From Sue. Clearwater."

Ugh. She needed to start taking conversation classes.

"I hoped those were Sue's desserts," Billy said. His voice was deep but soothing, and his eyes were kind as he assessed her. "You're a Brooks, if I'm correct."

"Yes sir," Shay said, smiling slightly. "Shay Brooks."

"Ah, Shay." He smiled, but it seemed a little more to himself than to her. She shuffled her feet as his eyes raised to hers, still not reaching for the pink box. "I knew your grandfather. He was a good man."

"Thank you." Shay ducked her head, trying horribly not to be awkward. Billy didn't seem to notice as he squinted at her.

"Would you let me show you something?"

"Oh," Shay faltered a bit. She had meant to drop the box and run. But Billy was looking at her expectantly, and she knew her grandfather would haunt her somehow if she was rude. "Of course."

He nodded and backed out of the narrow hallway, but she waited until he had turned his chair around completely before following. Her sneakers squeaked from the wet grass as she walked behind Billy, who was leading her to what she now saw was the living room.

Everything was wood and warm, dark fabrics and knick knacks. A quilt lay draped across the sofa, which was pushed aside to let Mr. Black sit in his chair and watch the television. A smattering of frames were hung on the walls, and Shay itched to inch closer and see them but refrained as Mr. Black stopped in front of a small table near the window.

"Oh, you can put that box down on the coffee table," Mr. Black said, suddenly realizing she still gripped the pastries. "And come, look at this."

Doing as she was told, she placed the box on a stack of car magazines, and walked to the table Mr. Black was gesturing to.

"Your grandpa made me this chess set when my son was born. Jacob—you know him?" Shay nodded, trying to keep her face passive as Mr. Black turned to look at her. He smiled even though she didn't. "He got sick when he was first born. It was touch and go for a while and I was scared to death that one day he would fall asleep and never wake up. So I used to just sit up and watch him, see his chest move up and down..." he trailed off, shaking his head. "Well, as you can imagine, it's hard to stay awake like that. So your grandpa whittled this chess set for me. I was never a great player, especially against him, but from all those nights, I became quite good. He was a great friend, your grandpa."

"Wow. He never told me that." Shay knew her voice was quiet as she thought of Billy, watching his son at night. Jacob. His son was _Jacob_. Shay shook her head. She couldn't think of him here, with his dad, as _human_ or she might start liking him.

Shay looked at the chess set now, the small curved figures done in a dark wood against the black and white squares that were neatly painted on the board. She touched her fingers to a rook, smooth with use, and imagined her grandpa sitting in their backyard, holding a slab of wood in one hand and a tool in the other. It was how he would spend most days, especially toward the end. Whenever she hugged him, he always smelled like wood shavings and spice.

"He was good, wasn't he?" Shay asked, picking up a King and studying the details of the small, angled face. "He made me a wolf once. I still have it on my bookshelf."

Billy coughed and she looked up in alarm, but he just patted his chest and smiled.

"Sorry about that." He wheeled back, turning to face the kitchen. "Can I get you a glass of water? I'm going to dig into those desserts from Sue."

"I'm okay, thank you. I really should get going."

"Not before our game of chess, I hope."

Shay's eyes flicked up to Billy, who was looking at her over his shoulder.

"Your grandpa taught you, I assume?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"So, will you honor an old man with a game of chess?"

Shay reached for an excuse in her brain, but Billy's gaze was imploring, as if he knew she'd lie.

"Of course," Shay said, smiling. "But go easy on me, it's been a while."

* * *

Jacob needed to shower before Bella came over. He was so surprised she'd actually agreed to come talk to him that he hadn't planned what he was going to do, or say, or..._anything._

But he needed to get home and get ready first. He didn't want to smell like mud and sweat, that much was sure.

He'd taken the shortcut through the woods and just emerged from the treeline, throwing on a pair of shorts for his dad's sake. He opened the back door with a thud, walking through the tiny kitchen.

"Dad! Are you here?"

He walked into the living room, seeing Shay and his dad locked in a game of chess, both looking up as he entered.

"I just have to shower and then—"

He paused, eyes widening. His dad, and Shay. _Shay_. Shay, who he now realized he could smell. Shampoo—and vanilla? Flour? Her small hands were gripping her queen like she might break it.

She couldn't be here. She couldn't be here when Bella was—there was no room for both of them in this situation.

"What are you doing here? You can't—what are you doing here?"

He knew his voice was harsh from the way her eyes went from startled to angry, sharpening at the edges. He felt his stomach ache then, but didn't take them back. If he didn't keep his face stony, she might not leave.

"I was dropping off something for your dad," she said, her eyes looking back to his father.

"Well...I'm having someone over. Any minute. So you should probably be going."

"Jacob!" His dad's voice was stern, his eyes flashing murder. "You will not be rude to our guests."

"That's alright Mr. Black." Jacob was angry—needed her gone—but for one strange second he felt like he was glimpsing his future as Shay rose from her seat and kissed his dad on the cheek. "It was nice playing with you."

"Please don't let my son chase you away," Mr. Black said, giving him a pointed look that made him feel like a kid. His cheeks flooded with warmth.

"I have to get home for dinner anyway," Shay waved his protests away. "But thank you."

His dad nodded, smiling at her. Jacob blinked. His dad rarely smiled that big at anyone.

"Well, come back anytime. You're almost as good as your grandpa."

Shay smiled, biting her lip.

"We both know I'm rusty."

"It will come back to you."

Shay nodded and gave a small wave to his dad, not even looking at Jacob as she walked into the narrow hallway, disappearing from sight. Her smell lingered in the air, and he fought the urge to follow it for a moment before a look from his dad had him walking after her vanilla trail.

She had just closed the screen behind her when he grabbed her arm lightly, his hand dwarfing her small wrist. Her skin felt cool even underneath her sweater. He felt his insides recoil as she jerked her hand back, glaring at him.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's just...you're just...how are you everywhere?"

The moment he said it, he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"It's a small town," she said, rolling her eyes. "And contrary to your belief, I am not here for you, you conceited ass."

She was pretty when she was happy, but she was pretty when she was angry too. It made her eyes sparkle, even though it was dangerous. Her gaze could cut glass under her dark eyebrows.

He shook his head. He wasn't supposed to be staring at her. He was supposed to be...well...he didn't know. Embry's words echoed through his head.

_It would be a lot easier if you stopped fighting it all the time._

"I know." He sighed, hoping she would stop looking so mad. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so..."

"Rude? Asshole like?"

He flinched at her tone. She was never this..._angry_. She usually responded with passive aggressive glares or avoidance. Insults were new. He was supposed to start being nice to her and she was somehow becoming more irritated with him.

"I deserve that," he finally said, biting his lip. "I just wanted to apologize."

Her gaze softened slightly as he stood in front of her, his anger deflating. She was going now. She'd be gone before Bella arrived and it would all be okay. Maybe he could even get her to leave without thinking he was an ass all the time.

"Whatever. Good-bye."

Well, 0-1.

She climbed into her car, which was literally a piece of crap on wheels. She had to jerk on the handle three times before the door even opened, and he could hear the engine gurgling as she turned the key.

She made as quick an exit as she could and he turned, rubbing a hand over his face. His limbs felt separate from his thoughts, as if they wanted to follow her car instead of go back inside.

He forced himself a step toward the house when his father appeared in the doorway, his mouth a thin line.

"She's your girl, isn't she?"

He knew his father knew he'd imprinted, probably from Seth to Sue to him, but he hadn't actually talked to him about it. How he knew it was Shay was beyond him.

He nodded once, locking eyes with his grim ones.

"I didn't raise you to be like that."

He didn't feel like arguing, so he just grumbled.

"I know."

"Is Bella your 'guest' coming over?"

"Yes."

Jacob sighed. He was so excited that Bella was coming over, but now he just felt...tired.

"Well you need a shower." His dad started to wheel away, but paused, looking back. "I like Shay. You'll apologize?"

Jacob wanted to protest that he already did, but he knew his father wouldn't accept that.

"Yeah. I will."

* * *

**Boom, another chappie. I was in a little slump, so big thanks for reviews (especially from blue and gold!) Sorry to anyone thinks this is drawn out, I just wanted to make Jacob's transition believable...but things will be getting more interesting soon! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

-J. K. Rowling

* * *

"How do you have so many books? It's lunch."

Shay fixed Paul with a look. He was currently leaning against the blue bank of lockers beside hers, chewing on an apple, and practically spitting on her. He was growing on her, but he kind of lost it with his lack of manners.

"How do you have _none_?" Shay asked, looking at his empty hand. "We just came from class."

Paul wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and grinned at her.

"I take a casual approach to math." He shrugged, a smirk still on his lips.

"That's a fancy word for failing."

Paul's smirk turned to a frown as he glared at her and tossed his apple core into the garbage across the hall. Shay used her locker door as a shield as he moved to swat at her face.

"I'll meet you inside. You move slower than my grandma."

Shay's protest fell on empty ears as he was already stalking toward the cafeteria. She rolled her eyes and finally found her lunch—horribly squished behind her science textbook. She had to stop doing that.

"Shay."

Shay whirled around at the sound of her name, seeing a white shirted Simon Hote standing in front of her. He pushed his glasses up his nose endearingly and grinned a crooked, dimpled smile at her.

She somewhat forgot to breathe, and smoothed down the front of her hoodie. She fought the urge to count the amount of brown shades in his eyes.

"Hey," she finally said, remembering to act like a functional human.

"Are you going to lunch?" he asked, swaying slightly back and forth on his feet. "Want to stand in line for barely appetizing food with me?"

She slammed her locker shut, hoping he hadn't seen her bagged lunch, and smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Sure."

Shay made sure she had her huge bag slung over the opposite shoulder of Simon's body. He was wiry, and the last thing she needed was to send him sprawling in the hallway.

"Did you see the newspaper meeting was switched to 3:30 tomorrow?"

"Yes, I saw that." Shay nodded. And then realized she had nothing more to contribute to the sentence.

Words, find words. Any words. Simon was walking beside her and she could see that he had slight stubble growing on his tan skin—but she wouldn't get this close to him again if she fell mute every time he was around.

She was saved by Simon picking up a new string of conversation.

"So, uh...I noticed you hanging out with Jared and Paul a lot lately."

"Oh, yeah," Shay said, looking sideways at him. She couldn't tell what his expression was. "Well, Kim is dating Jared, and it turns out he comes with a lot of giant sized baggage."

He laughed, nodding.

"Right. So you're not dating Paul?"

Shay snorted before she realized Simon was being serious, and then promptly her ears warmed.

"No. Definitely not."

"Oh, good."

Shay walked another beat in face-flushed, stomach-flipping agony before she registered his words.

"Good?"

Simon had reached the chipped doors of the cafeteria now, which were propped open with about four door jams. He leaned against one of them and turned to face her, his smile shyer than she'd ever seen it.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date. With me."

Shay's experience with guys asking her out was pretty much non-existent, and she suddenly didn't know how to compute her fantasies coming into actual tangible existence.

She had an inward explosion of panic, followed by excitement tingling in her stomach. She forced her head to nod, smiling and trying not to erupt in a babble of nonsense.

"Yeah. Yes. Mmhmm."

"Great." His shoulders sagged as he exhaled. "Is Saturday good?"

"Yes. Good. That's good."

"Awesome. So...Should we go get lunch?"

Simon gestured to the open doors and Shay grinned as she walked into the crowded room.

"I just have one question."

Simon looked down at her as they walked toward the food line.

"Yes?"

"Is your sister going to kill you for this? Or me?"

Simon's dimple made reappearance as he winked at her. She felt warmth grow in her stomach and thoughts of Kala Hote thankfully flushed away.

"Maybe. But I hope she'll wait until Sunday, at least."

* * *

Kim had to pinch herself sometimes, to realize that she was _actually_ walking next to Jared Cameron, his hand warm on her shoulder as he walked with one arm around her.

She knew that men didn't define her life—her mother had always been adamant to tell her that. She always thought she said so because Kim couldn't get a date to the dance, or because she pined over someone she'd barely ever talked to.

But being with Jared was more than that. She just felt...better. She had a whole new family. She was herself, but she was just...a happier version.

She didn't think she'd feel that way about having a werewolf boyfriend. But somehow, with each day, she was getting more used to it. The only issue now was keeping it a secret from everyone else she loved.

As if he sensed her thoughts, Jared squeezed her arm and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. She could smell peanut butter on his breath, but couldn't help but grin back at him. She could get used to anything if he was around.

She smiled at the thought and stopped at Jacob's locker, where the guys were waiting for him to finish before they went off to patrol.

Jake threw his books inside, his face a scowl as Quil muttered something that Kim couldn't hear.

Kim couldn't wait until Jacob came to his senses. She was sick of watching Shay stay as far as possible from him, and sick of not being able to talk—fully, about _everything_—with her best friend. But Jared had forbidden Kim from speaking a word about it until Jacob did something.

Which, at this rate, was going to be years.

"Simon Hote asked Shay out."

Kim's head whipped to Embry, who was standing to the left of her.

"What?" Her voice came out in a squeak. "How do you know that before me?"

Embry ignored her to mumble something to Jacob.

Jared tapped her ear in response, giving her a worried smile.

_Enhanced hearing_, she remembered. No secrets among wolves.

"She said yes." Paul commented now, easing himself off the bank of lockers he was leaning against.

Kim was happy, but always confused. Why didn't Shay tell her? Was she mad because they hadn't been hanging out as much? Shay had sat with them at lunch, next to Seth, but she could've found a way to tell her. Unless he'd asked her after that. Still! This was noteworthy. Kim had told Shay when Jared so much as looked her direction.

"Jacob?"

Kim's heart began to beat a little faster as she was broken from her thoughts by Jared's voice. She moved her eyes to Jacob's rigid form. She could see the muscles in his back tensing. She couldn't see his face, but she wondered if it was as white as his knuckles.

Or red. Probably red.

"It's not a big deal," Jared tried to say, shrugging. She felt his arm shift against her and bit her lip.

"Yeah it is. And I have just the solution." Paul's eyes sparkled dangerously and Kim's stomach sank. "Simon, c'mere!"

Kim turned to see Simon walking down the hall, his face turning to confusion at Paul's gesture. Paul wasn't exactly known for being friendly, and Simon's face showed his apprehension.

This wouldn't end well. Nope, nope, nope.

"No!"

Kim's voice left her mouth before she realized what she was doing. Everyone turned to her and she felt her face flame under the attention.

"She's had a crush on Simon for _ages_," she explained quietly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she tried to keep her voice confident.

"Well she's Jake's imprint," Paul retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Well he doesn't act like it."

Silence fell again as they all stared at her. Paul, angrily, Embry and Quil open-mouthed, and Jared with a twinkle in his eye.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of her holding her breath, Jacob turned around.

"I don't really think what I do is your business."

Kim felt Jared's hand shudder but she straightened her spine.

"Hey—"

"She's my best friend," Kim cut off Jared and forced her voice to stay strong. "It's entirely my business."

Simon reached them now, shuffling his feet with a raised eyebrow.

"Is everything okay?"

"We just wanted to have a chat," Paul said, inching closer to Simon.

"No, we didn't. Just a misunderstanding. Sorry for bothering you." Kim rushed her words, giving Paul a quick evil eye before flashing Simon a smile. "See you tomorrow!"

"No, not—"

"Tomorrow!"

Simon gave her a strange look, his mouth parted in a question that he swallowed before nodding.

"Okay, bye guys."

"That's not your place!" Paul fumed, pointing a finger in her face.

Jared growled and pushed Paul's hand out of the way, but Kim bypassed his shielding arm and stepped to face Paul, the other boys crowding behind her.

"It's not yours either!" She rolled her eyes. "You just don't want to miss an opportunity to fight someone."

"I won't deny I wouldn't mind kicking his ass a little. But Jacob is my brother. And this is _imprinting._ She shouldn't be with anyone else," Paul's voice was low as his jaw clenched.

"So she shouldn't go on a date with someone who actually acts like he likes her?" Kim asked, feeling her anger rise. "Jacob doesn't even _know_ her. Not the first thing!"

"You don't mess with fate."

She wasn't even sure who said it, but Kim could feel her anger starting to throb in her stomach. It filled her body with a hot rage that made her clench her fists and need big breaths.

"Fate? Where does that leave Shay? Miserable? To put her life on hold until Jacob comes around? Well, she doesn't deserve that. She is my best friend. She was the only person who would _be_ my friend. And she's been loyal ever since. And yes, she's ridiculous, and laughs at her own jokes, and can never really be too serious...but she'd do anything for me. So it's about time I stick up for her."

Kim's chest was constricting as Jacob moved to stand in front of her. His eyes narrowed into slits so angry they were liable to shoot flame.

"You're making it sound like I'm torturing her," Jacob spat.

"She thinks you hate her. You _are_ torturing her! She doesn't even know what's going on, so if you can't pluck up the courage to just be nice to her, you'll—I'll—" she lost her words, thinking too fast to name a threat, "—do _something_! Okay?"

Jacob didn't answer her, but almost instantly, he deflated two inches.

Kim felt her own confidence retreat as her adrenaline died down, and she stood breathing out awkwardly and looking away from the pack's eyes.

"Okay, let's just all calm down. We don't have to do anything right now," Jared said, putting his hands up in surrender.

"That," Paul commented, his anger gone as he grinned widely at Kim. "Is the most I've heard you talk._ Ever_."

Paul's words broke the tension, and Embry and Quil laughed as Paul clapped her arm appreciatively. She reached back and found Jared's hand waiting, his fingers warm. She sighed and even smiled as she leaned back into his chest.

"We're gonna be late, guys," Seth said, appearing to her right side. A smile stretched over his face as he looked between everyone's face. "What did I miss?"

* * *

Hello to anyone still here! I'm alive! I decided to do a short update just to prove I'm not abandoning this story! I have the rest planned, it's just a matter of actually writing it. Hopefully some of you are still out there- Let me know!


	13. Chapter 13

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

-Stephen Chbosky

* * *

Shay yawned as she walked through the hallway, her stomach moving her feet away from her homework and toward the kitchen. It was starting to stay brighter outside longer into the night, so she didn't even turn the light on as she rummaged through the cabinets, looking for something edible.

She noticed a yellow post-it that must've fluttered into the sink from her swinging open the cabinets.

_Home late. Don't forget to ask Dr. Friar for your recommendation during your lab hours tomorrow. You are behind schedule!_

Shay pushed her mom's note aside, rolling her eyes. Of course she was late. Because she was dreading asking Dr. Friar—a human Q-tip with a shock of white hair—for anything. Because she was being forced to apply to a program she didn't want to attend. Because she was afraid her mother would somehow make her go if she got in.

Shay had even gone as far as to call her father and see if he'd talk to her mom a little, make her see she was being controlling and unfair. But to Shay's dismay, her father just told her it was for the best, and she had to think about her future realistically.

But it didn't matter. Because she was having a good day, and her parents couldn't ruin it. She'd managed to avoid Jacob all day after the incident at his house, she got an A on her short story for writing class, and she was asked out by Simon Hote.

She was going to push aside all thoughts of her future and focus on the present, where she'd eat macaroni and cheese for dinner and watch the rest of _Supernatural_, and plan what she was going to do on Saturday.

She'd just started boiling a pot of water when she heard her phone ding, the screen lighting up on the counter. It was a text from Kim.

_Why didn't you tell me Simon asked you out?_

Shay bit her lip. She'd been so flustered at lunch that she didn't exactly trust herself not to ooze craziness all over the lunch table. And she hadn't been enthused by the idea of announcing her date to the entire group. They'd been weirdly protective of her lately, and she couldn't imagine Simon's skinny body handling the pressure of Jared or Paul's grip.

She knew she probably could've got Kim's attention. But then it would've been something short. A whisper in her ear in between the guy's jokes or in the hallway before her and Jared would split off on their own. And she wanted to keep it special, just for a day.

_Sorry, couldn't find right time. _Shay typed to Kim._ Crazy, right? We have a date on Saturday._

Kim's response was so quick that Shay wondered if she had the message waiting.

_I'm so happy for you! I want to hear everything._

Shay smiled. She had been pulling away from Kim a little lately, giving her space to be with Jared. But it was nice that her attention was back on her, at least for a little while. She hopped on the counter and pressed Kim's name, listening as her phone started to ring.

* * *

"Shay, did you make those changes to your article?"

Mrs. Harrison lowered her reading glasses to look at Shay who nodded, crossing her legs.

"Yes, and Talia re-checked everything."

"Great. Frank, how's the layout looking?"

"All ready."

"Perfect. It looks like we actually didn't have any disasters this time. Good job, team! That's it for today. See you all on Thursday."

Chatter immediately began as everyone started to pick up their belongings and Mrs. Harrison rose from her seat. Shay turned her chair and powered down the computer she was on, stuffing her notebook in her bag.

She smiled as Simon lingered near the doorway, giving her a small grin as she reached him.

"I liked your article about the grocery store," Shay said as her and Simon exited. He'd chosen that for his small business. Shay laughed when she saw the small picture of Mr. Waters behind the register, mouth open in surprise.

"Thanks. It's not easy to make produce sound exciting, but someone's gotta do it."

"Well, even more praise to you then," Shay grinned, slowing as they reached her locker.

"I'll have to be smart like you and choose a bakery next time."

"I _was_ mostly in it for the cookies."

Simon's mouth quirked as he watched her spin her combination on her lock.

"So, I'll talk to you tomorrow?" he asked, his eyebrows raising as Shay took out the books she needed.

"Definitely," she nodded, smiling— So much smiling, her cheeks hurt.

He nodded in agreement, walking backwards for a minute and giving her one last look before turning on his heel, continuing on down the hall. She fought the urge to giggle like an idiot, and instead just grinned into her locker, hoping it shielded all the giddiness she was feeling.

"What's the deal with you and my brother?"

Shay jumped, her joy instantly gone as Kala Hote's voice met her ears. She rolled her eyes as Kala came up beside her, eyes narrowed. Her hands were on her hips, fingers in the belt loops on her jeans. Thankfully, she didn't look like Simon anywhere except her dimples, which never made an appearance when she was talking to Shay.

"Why don't you just ask him?" Shay asked, shutting her locker.

This answer did not appease her.

"Back off, Brooks," she leaned so close, Shay could smell her breath. Fruity, like she'd just been chewing gum. "Just because you've decided to go all whore this year doesn't mean you can date my brother."

Shay's fingers curled around her bag's strap, itching to claw at Kala's face.

She just opened her mouth to speak when Kala's eyes flitted to somewhere behind Shay's head and she turned to see Jacob and Jared lingering a few lockers down. Jared was clearly saying something Jacob didn't like as he nudged Jacob closer to her.

"Just go do it," she heard Jared whisper, as he tried to push Jacob toward her.

Shay rolled her eyes at the scene, and turned back to Kala.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. Leave me alone."

Kala looked like she was going to say something else, but closed her mouth as the boys finally stumbled up behind Shay. Maybe she remembered how Jacob had spiked a volleyball into her head. His one shining moment, in Shay's eyes.

Thankful for the first time ever that Jacob was near her, Shay turned around and heard Kala leave with an audible huff.

"Trouble with mean girl?" Jared asked, watching Kala's retreating form.

"You could say that."

"Well, let us know if you need any help with that."

"Thanks," Shay felt a surge of appreciation rise in her, knowing that Jared wasn't joking. It was strange to have more friends than just Kim, and stranger still that they'd all taken to her so quickly.

The three of them started walking toward the exit doors, Jacob still not saying anything. There weren't many students left, since most clubs had let out already, so they moved quickly and easily despite their size.

Just as Jared pushed open the doors, the metal groaning, he turned back to her and Jacob.

"Well, I've gotta meet Kim. See you guys later."

Jared was not smooth as he left, patting Jacob's arm with a pointed look and practically running toward the parking lot. Shay rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure what his goal was, but it most definitely wasn't on Jacob's list of things to do.

She hoped that Jacob would veer off on his own path, but to her dismay, he kept walking beside her as she made her way to the bike rack.

She felt like she wanted to jump from her body itself when he walked next to her, doing his best to avoid looking her direction. She chanced a look at his profile, all jaw and dark eyelashes and quickly looked away, her ears burning.

Why? Why could he make her so flustered, even when he didn't like her? Even when he wasn't saying a word? And why did she care that for some strange reason, he didn't seem mad this time, but sort of nervous instead?

She kept her eyes forward, getting ready to hop on her bike and ride away when he finally spoke.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. About the thing at my house. I was kind of a jerk."

Shay froze with her hands on her handlebars, slowly looking up to meet his eyes. They were intensely focused on hers, and for the first time since she met him, they didn't hold any sort of anger for her.

"It's...fine."

She knew this was what Jared had been pushing him to do, so she just wanted to get it over with and then maybe they'd go back to ignoring each other, but with less heated stares.

"No. It's not."

Shay waited for him to elaborate, but instead his mouth pressed into a firm line and he kept his eyes glued on the concrete by her feet.

She took the opportunity to wrench her bike away from the rack now, swinging a leg over the side.

"Can I...walk you home?"

Shay froze, looking around to see if he could be talking to anyone else.

"Uh, no. I mean, it's alright. I can manage," Shay said, begging for this to end. "I'm biking anyway." She gestured to the wheels and sat on her bike seat, hoping to make a quick getaway once he nodded his head.

But he didn't. He only started walking in the direction of her house—the opposite way of his.

"I can keep up," was all he said, his eyes forward on the path before them.

Shay pedaled slowly, although she knew that Jacob could probably keep up with her even if she rode normally. Hell, he could probably go faster, if his muscles were any indication.

But she continued to pedal to match his gait, and they sank into a silence that wrapped her up in awkwardness. It was better to be silent, though. She could handle a brooding Jacob, but a nice one was suddenly beyond her comfort zone.

"So I know asking for forgiveness is kind of—"

"Please stop," Shay said, shaking her head. She knew Jared was making him do this, probably everyone else as well, and the embarrassment stung her. "I know you don't like me, so...I get it. I mean, I don't _get_ it. Like why. But I get why you would act that way toward someone you didn't like." Shay shut her eyes, breathing out for a second. "Am I making any sense?"

For a second, she could only hear the click of her pedals and the wind in the trees as they traveled on the dirt trail, worn by year of feet and wheels.

"You think I don't like you?" Jacob's voice sounded surprised-she almost laughed.

"Well, if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck..."

"What?"

"Never mind. Point is, you don't have to apologize."

Jacob kicked a branch that was in their way, licking his lips.

"I'm just trying to be nice to you—"

"Because the guys told you to?" Shay scoffed. "There is no law that says we have to be friends. You apologized. It's fine."

Shay's stomach turned for a second. Her anger was speaking, but her tongue felt heavy, her words wrong. She didn't go back on them though, remembering the weeks of clear dislike rolling off Jacob in her direction.

"Stop saying it's fine," Jacob growled, his eyes storming over. He had stopped walking beside her, and she braked, putting her foot on the ground.

Shay was surprised at his sudden change in demeanor, but was sort of used to his mood swings as of late. Instead of poking the beast, she raised her foot back to the pedals and began to move again.

"You know what? I've got it from here. Thanks, though."

She pedaled away as fast as she could, hoping like hell he wasn't following her. When she'd gone twenty seconds, she chanced a look back, seeing him standing with a frown on his face, his shoulders slumped.

And she only felt a little awful as she turned back around and pedaled faster.

* * *

Jacob felt like an ass. And then, an idiot. Because he hadn't realized that ignoring Shay, going out of his way to avoid her, would actually affect her.

He thought if he pushed her away, he could just focus on Bella. But after yesterday, it was clear that Bella wasn't going to change her mind. No matter what he said.

_"__Bella, you can't go through with it," Jacob sat with his legs on his knees, leaning forward to talk to Bella who sat on the edge of his couch. "What's...what's going to happen to you?"_

_"__Jacob, I think you know what's going to happen."_

_Her eyes were fixed on her hands, which she wrung in her lap._

_"__But you can't. You can't be one of them," he practically whispered. _

_"They're not bad, Jacob. The Cullens aren't bad."_

_"A vampire is a vampire." __Bella sighed as Jacob wiped his palms on his cut-offs. "__You'd be my enemy."_

_Bella bit her lip. He could picture her doing it a thousand times over, her hair falling in her face and him wanting to push it back. But he stayed still as she spoke._

_"__It doesn't have to be that way, Jake. We're friends. We love each other."_

_Jacob would have flinched once, to hear her say that. Knowing that she didn't feel the same way. But right now, all he felt was tired, and all he wished was that Bella would be staying the girl he knew._

_"__You know it won't be the same after. It can't be."_

_Bella looked up at him, her eyes shining with the start of tears._

_"__It's not the same now, though, is it?"_

He couldn't convince her. And somehow, he knew he wasn't going to.

So now, the girl he thought he loved was slipping through his fingers, and the girl he was supposed to love hated him.

He didn't want Shay to hate him.

His body felt lighter as the truth flooded through him.

_He didn't want her to hate him._

It was so simple, he almost smiled.

He could change it. He could fix that, if nothing else.

Sprinting, his backpack bouncing against him, he was a blur all the way to Shay's house. He followed her tire tracks, a skinny trail in the dirt. She was already inside—he could see her moving behind the curtains of her white house.

He slowed and took a steadying breath, ready to walk up to her porch when the wind blew, making him stop dead in his tracks.

Above the scent of the trees, the oil leaking from Shay's car, and the wet leaves on the ground, one sickly sweet smell stood out above everything else.

_Vampires._

* * *

GUYS! You are awesome! I was blown away by the amount of reviews I got since I posted last! So blown away I tried to update as quickly as I could. HUGE thanks to everyone who's reading and supporting this story! :)


	14. Chapter 14

"You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles."

― C. JoyBell C.

* * *

They combed every inch of the woods, but the scent was gone. It lingered, stinging Jacob's nose as he prowled around Shay's house for the twentieth time, his tracks crisscrossing the trees and dirt of her backyard.

His mind was still racing.

_Vampires. Here. Vampires in La Push, near Shay. What were they doing here? _

Everyone else was busy checking on their own families and everywhere in between, but Jacob stayed close to Shay, listening for news.

_Anyone see anything? _Jacob thought, keeping his eyes on the trees.

_I smelled it to the Forks border, and then I lost it. _Embry's thoughts filtered through.

_Do you think it has to do with the Cullens?_

_I don't think so… _That was Jacob's first thought, but the smell had been strongest around Shay's house. _What would she have to do with it?_

_Maybe it's just a coincidence. _Seth offered, his mind abuzz.

_Vampires don't stumble into our territory by coincidence. _Sam firmly corrected, his tone final.

Jacob couldn't keep his thoughts straight. Worry flooded his system so instantly and completely, it scared him. He knew it was the imprint at work, making his body ache, turning his stomach and making him want to tear to pieces whatever got near Shay. Even if she hated him. Even if he wasn't so happy with her.

But now what?

The vampire was gone, but it could be back. How was he going to protect her if she didn't want to be anywhere near him?

_Maybe you should talk to Bella. The Cullens might know something, even if it doesn't have to do with them. _Quil suggested, calm despite Jacob's rising panic.

_Sure, let's run to the vampires for help. _Paul's angry thoughts cut through, but Jacob ignored him.

_I can't leave. _Jacob peered at Shay's house, the yellow lights from her windows pouring onto her pebbled driveway. He caught glimpses of her every now and then, and his heart jolted every time he thought she might walk out the door.

_We'll watch her. _Embry promised.

_What if something happens?_

_I'll watch her. She's pack. We all will. _

Jacob still wasn't sure. He wanted to find out what was going on, but the pull to be near Shay was practically magnetic. It made his bones glue to the ground to think of leaving.

_I can go. _

Seth was confident and carefree, even in his thoughts. Jacob was surprised only for a moment that he was willing to go.

_Are you sure? _

_Definitely. Bella likes me. I'll go now and see what they say._

Jacob nodded before realizing no one could see him, but it was already decided. He felt relief flood his system as he continued to patrol, feeling Seth's mind disappear as he phased back.

_It's good. That you're staying._

Sam's voice made Jacob feel strange. Just days ago, he would've jumped at the chance to see Bella- to talk to her, about anything. But he couldn't get her face out of his mind as she spoke to him yesterday.

_"__I think you know what's going to happen."_

Soon, Bella could be one of the creatures they were hunting right now. Soon, she'd be something he didn't even recognize. And would he still love her, if she was something else?

_Don't think about it right now. We'll deal with this first. Hopefully Seth can get some answers._

Jacob tried to take Sam's advice to heart, but for the next few hours Shay's face, then Bella's, then the cold eyes of vampires flashed through his mind over and over.

* * *

Shay pulled her hood over her head and locked her door, squinting through the rain and praying her car would start as she jogged over. She felt the rain pelting her arms and seeping into her hoodie as she jiggled the handle forcefully, the door just opening when a beep made her jump in surprise.

"Shay! We'll give you a ride!"

Shay was surprised to see Kim's head craning out of the window of a beat up truck. But she didn't have time to linger on it with the water trickling down her neck, so she ran to the side with a huge dent in it. Water splashed from her boots as she hopped inside.

She immediately stiffened. Jacob was sitting in the backseat, spine hunched as his eyes ran over her face. His expression looked pained, his eyes red like he didn't get enough sleep.

She nodded briefly at him before looking to Jared and Kim in the front seat.

"Hey guys. What are you doing here?"

"Well it's downpouring, and we know your car is less than reliable." Kim's voice sounded a little off to her, but Shay just shrugged it off.

"Yeah, you're right." Shay forced a chuckle. "Thanks."

Shay buckled herself in, putting her messenger bag in the middle seat. The car smelled faintly of pine and some sort of rubber.

Jared backed up and turned back onto the road, his face taut in concentration, his posture rigid. Actually _everyone_ seemed pretty tense. Nervous, almost. She could sense the strange energy in the air.

She chanced a look at Jacob. His eyes were on the window, but she could see his grim expression in the reflection of the window. His right hand was balled into a fist, the fabric of his jeans bunched in his hand. She could see the other one, poised on the handle like he was going to spring from the car at any moment.

She wondered if he told anyone about their encounter yesterday. She hoped not, and curled deeper into her side of the truck to block out the memory.

The silence continued as Shay counted the raindrops on her window, tracing which ones fell the fastest. The radio wasn't even on. She could feel Jacob's eyes, somehow, even though she wasn't looking at him. She unzipped her hoodie to release some of the heat prickling her skin.

"So, uh, what are you guys doing this weekend?" Shay asked, hoping to ease the tension.

"Just...staying in," Kim replied. Shay saw her eyes flicker to Jared, whose mouth was pressed into a firm line.

Were they fighting?

Shay didn't think so. One of Jared's hands was wrapped around the gearshift and Kim's hand hung loosely around his.

"You should stay in, too."

Shay was surprised by Jacob's voice. It sounded raspy and deeper than she'd ever noticed.

And then she realized what he'd said.

"What? Why?"

Jacob opened his mouth and closed it. His eyes found the car roof as if somehow she was exasperating him, even though she'd only said two words.

"There have been animal sightings," Jared cut in, his blinker clicking on. "Bad...weather, too. You should stay at Kim's."

"Oh." Shay was confused. She wished she could see Kim's face from here. It was easier to read than the back of her head. "Uh, I have something on Saturday. So maybe we'll see each other Sunday."

A tense silence followed. Was everyone being weird, or was it just her mind imagining things?

"Where are you going on Saturday?" Jacob's voice sounded like he was trying to be casual, but came out sort of strained and high pitched.

"I'm not sure yet, actually." Shay didn't know why, but she didn't want to mention that it was a date.

"So it's so important that you don't even know what it is?"

Shay's temper flickered, making her neck grow hot as she turned to face Jacob.

"I didn't say it was _so_ important."

"Well you're ditching Kim's invitation for it." Jacob mocked, rolling his eyes.

"Kim didn't invite me anywhere, why are you—"

"—We are telling you that you should be careful—"

"—I can take care of myself—"

"—You're being naïve, not to mention rude—"

"—Really? _I'm_ being rude—"

"Hey! We're here. Let's all just take a breath."

Jared broke up her and Jacob's argument, his voice rising above theirs as he slowed the car to a stop. Shay felt her anger halt in her chest,her throat burning with it.

What was the deal with this kid?

Jacob looked like he was about to say something, but Shay wasn't about to hear it, so she grabbed her bag and flew out the door before slamming it. She thought she heard Kim call out to her, but she ignored it and ran to the doors, not bothering to even put her hood up as rain pummeled her the whole way.

* * *

It was around lunchtime that Shay realized the guys were being weird.

It was like they were all out to make sure she wasn't alone. For one second. At all.

She suspected they'd all heard about the fight, but that didn't explain why they all suddenly cared if she was by herself in the hallway for three seconds.

Quil—who had a guidance counselor appointment—completely bypassed the counselor's office to walk her all the way to math class, where Jacob glared at her the whole period. Paul—who was usually no less than five minutes late for history followed her the whole way there and then all the way to English after that. And now, Seth was lingering by her locker, waiting for her to get her lunch.

"I don't see it anywhere," Shay grumbled, flinging her pencil case into her locker as she dug through her bag. "It might have fallen out in Jared's truck. I'll go look."

"I'll get him!" Seth said quickly, turning for the cafeteria.

"It's okay. His right side door lock is broken. I'll just check quickly."

"No!"

Shay was startled when Seth grabbed her arm, twirling her around to face him.

"I mean, I'll come," Seth amended, his cheeks turning pink as she grabbed her arm back and rubbed where his fingertips were.

"Alright," she growled. "What is going on?"

"What do you mean?" Seth asked dumbly, licking his lips.

"I mean, everyone is acting like lunatics, following me everywhere." She felt like she was in a weird witness protection that she didn't sign up for. "But I don't know why."

"I don't...I don't know what you mean." Seth squirmed under her gaze, her eyes not quite meeting hers.

"I think you do," Shay frowned, poking him in the chest.

"I don't."

"You're lying!" Shay's eyes narrowed. "You're fidgeting. And you're not looking at me!"

"That's just the way I talk to people?" Seth's reply was more of a question than an answer.

"Are you aware we've had conversations before?" Shay crossed her arms. The hallways were pretty much empty now, everyone already in the cafeteria. Her stomach was growling, but she wanted answers.

"Look, it's not...It's not as crazy as it seems. It's just...well it's not my place to say."

"So whose place is it?"

Seth froze again, his mouth open slightly as his eyes grew wide.

"I've gotta go."

Seth turned on his heel and walked into the cafeteria, leaving trails of panic behind him.

Shay took note of his behavior. It would be helpful if she ever had to write a highly suspicious character into one of her stories.

Rolling her eyes, she started to walk down the hallway—finally alone—to see if her lunch was in Jared's car. Her shoes squeaked in the watery trails of everyone else's feet.

She made it as far as the teacher's lounge before she felt someone fall into step beside her.

She noticed the beat up sneakers first, then cuffed jeans trailing up to a heather gray shirt that she knew hugged a muscular chest and arms. She didn't go upwards to think of the copper, smooth skin on a face that was usually scowling at her.

"I'm not in the mood, Jacob," Shay sighed.

Her anger from the morning had faded to a dull ache that radiated through her body, making her feel tired instead of mad.

"I'm not here to fight. I'm here to call a truce. If you'll have me."

Shay paused.

"Fine."

She nodded at him and kept walking, figuring he would turn and go back to lunch. Instead, his steps continued to mirror hers.

"I can walk by myself, you know."

"Just let me walk you," Jacob said softly.

"I'm feeling an odd sense of déjà vu." Shay couldn't believe it was just yesterday he had walked her home. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Just...please? You don't even have to talk to me. I'd just rather you didn't walk alone."

But her words were lost when he moved in front of her.

"Wait." He put a hand up. "We didn't shake."

"Shake?"

"Oh the truce. It's not official until we shake."

"Oh, I didn't know about the ever-binding shake."

Jacob's mouth quirked.

"Ever-binding is more of a pinky swear," Jacob smoothed his face into a steady look. "But I don't know if you're ready for that yet."

Shay could've commented on his flip flopping behavior, or his weird sense of chivalry, or the fact that he must know why all the guys were acting weird. She could've told him to back off, that she was fine alone, that despite his insisting, she could handle him hating her.

But for some reason, she reached out her hand.

Jacob grinned as he reached his forward, grabbing her own. His teeth were white against his skin, and his smile made him a whole different person. One who didn't hate her so much, one that she could imagine teasing and laughing with and liking. His hand was almost twice the size of hers, and so hot she almost pulled away. But she didn't-instead, she shook it twice, feeling the callouses on his fingertips and the smoothness of his palms.

He dropped her hand finally, turning back around and letting her catch up to him.

As they kept walking, she felt the tension in her body loosen a little. And some of the tiredness in her bones lightened as he bumped her elbow.

And finally, her anger disappeared as he ran to open the door for her, bowing with a flourish.

She rolled her eyes, but he just smirked, like he knew something she didn't.


	15. Chapter 15

"The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves."  
-William Penn

* * *

Shay slammed Simon's car door—a small, sporty one that smelled vaguely like mint—and followed him.

She'd expected a restaurant or maybe a movie, but he'd surprised her by taking her to the beach. It was warm now that Spring had set in, but the wind still whipped her hair unflatteringly into her face as she took sunken footsteps next to him toward the shore.

Simon seemed nervous, which actually calmed Shay down. At least she wasn't alone in that. She wiped her palms on her jeans as they kept walking, Simon squinting into the sky.

"Looks like rain, but we should have a little while," he commented, hoisting up the backpack in his arms. "This might be totally lame, but I actually can't be out too late. I was grounded last week and my parents are still on high alert."

"Grounded, huh?" Shay raised an eyebrow. Her normal quips were lost in her nervousness.

"Don't tell me you've never gotten in trouble." Simon grinned, but she saw his cheeks redden slightly. "I've seen your sense of humor."

"That would require my mother noticing anything about me."

"Really? I find you hard to ignore."

Shay blushed from cheeks to ears, but for some reason the words made her feel fidgety instead of warm. It was strange that her fantasy was actually happening in real life—but she pushed down the feeling and focused on Simon's dimpled smile.

"My parents are pretty much the opposite of that," Simon continued, thankfully not noting her blush. "Pretty overbearing. It's one of the reasons Kala is so..." he gestured into the air.

"Please don't ask me to finish that sentence." The words left her mouth before she could think about them, and she froze. Simon had admitted to her in the past that Kala was a bit of a monster, but she was still his sister.

To her relief, Simon peered at her and laughed.

"She's not all bad. You know, on days when her soul decides to show up."

Shay thought of Kala cornering her by her locker, eyes flashing fire, but wisely kept her mouth shut and nodded along with Simon. She'd deal with that issue later, if she had to.

Simon chose that moment to stop walking, whipping around his backpack to unzip it.

"Here's good."

Shay watched him shake out a blanket, the plaid tails fluttering in the breeze as it settled slowly onto the sand. He kneeled on it and dug farther into his bag as Shay tentatively sat down next to him, watching intently.

"I wasn't sure what to bring. I settled on dessert—cookies and some weird chocolates that sounded fancy. But I didn't know if you liked chocolate, so I got some fruit too. And crackers. And then I wasn't sure about the drinks, so I brought some water. My first thought was champagne, but that seemed too formal. I also—"

"Simon." Shay placed a hand on his arm to stop him, so happy that she wouldn't be the only babbling person on this date. "It's all great. I never say no to food, unless it's a vegetable."

Simon grinned, pushing his glasses up. He put his hand over hers and squeezed it quickly.

Shay's mind flew back to the day before, when Jacob's hand had engulfed hers as they shook on their truce. His hand had been so warm that fire danced up her arms and through her stomach. Simon's was cold and made her shiver.

But it wasn't up for comparison. Why would it be?

Shaking the thought, she accepted the chocolate Simon was holding out to her.

"Thank you."

"Looks like we have some company," Simon said, nodding his head behind her back.

Shay twisted to look where his eyes drifted and saw two hulking masses throwing a football to each other. Wait—she _recognized _those hulking masses.

Squinting, she saw the tall, broad outline of Quil with his back to her, his red shirt moving with his muscles as he jumped to catch the ball. And tossing him the football was the familiar figure of Jacob.

She couldn't read his expression from here, but his body seemed taut, as if he was ready to spring into action at any moment. He couldn't keep his legs still as he waited for Quil to toss him back the ball.

_Why?_ Of all places to be, why did they have to be here?

She tensed. It wasn't just that they were following her at school—they now seemed to be following her _everywhere_. A ball of confused dread built inside of her, weighing down her stomach as she watched them.

"Is that Ateara and Black?" Simon asked, pulling her attention back to him.

"Um, I think so."

Shay fought the urge to look at the boys again, instead tucking her legs underneath her as Simon shifted on the blanket.

"Aren't they your friends?"

"Yes."

"Did they know we'd be here?"

Shay's eyes flicked to Simon's, her eyebrow furrowing. What was he asking? If she invited them here on purpose?

"No." Shay's voice was sharp. _"I_ didn't even know we were coming here."

"Oh, right." Simon shook his head, his narrowed eyes fading into a sheepish look. "Well, anyway..."

Shay felt awkwardness descend, nestling itself into the space between them. Quil and Jacob had broken whatever was going on before, and replaced her giddiness with anxiety.

"So...fruit?"

Shay forced a smile and took a piece of pineapple from Simon's outstretched container.

"So what do you do when you're not at school and writing newspaper articles?" Simon asked, swallowing his own piece of fruit.

"Well, I like to write fiction too," Shay smiled, for real now, thinking of her notebooks filled at home. "And I'll start swimming soon, in the nice weather. Oh, and I just got a job at the Clearwater's bakery."

"I thought I smelled vanilla when you got in my car." Simon grinned. His body was inching closer to her and she swallowed, his fingers almost meeting her own.

Just as Shay was deciding if she wanted to move her hand, her heart jumped as something whizzed into her vision, crashing into the fruit container and spattering pineapple and watermelon chunks into the sand. Her and Simon sprang apart in surprise, looking to where the football had come from.

"Oh god, I am so sorry." Quil was beside them almost instantly, giving them the biggest puppy dog eyes she'd ever seen. _Wow, he's fast_, Shay thought as he crouched down to grab the ball. "I didn't think I could throw that far. I'm so stupid."

"It's okay," Simon grumbled, cleaning pineapple off his shirt. "We love sand in our food."

"Hey Shay," Quil greeted, seeming to ignore Simon's answer altogether to flash her a quick grin. "Sorry to pop in like this."

Shay felt her words disappear for some reason, and just blinked at him.

"Well, anyway, I'll let you two get back to it." Quil clapped her on the shoulder as he rose, winking at her as he jogged back to where Jacob stood.

Shay's eyes found Jacob's in that moment, and even though she couldn't see him that well from where she sat, she felt his gaze burning.

Dropping her eyes, her brain suddenly realized that Jacob was facing her. Which meant for the ball to come in their direction, Jacob would have had to be the one throwing it.

Shay frowned.

Maybe she'd heard Quil wrong. Or maybe he meant he'd missed the catch. He wouldn't really have much of a reason to lie. Right?

Shay tried not to let that thought consume her too much, but it seemed her emotion had spread. They were back to awkwardness. Simon was still trying to save his shirt from stains and she attempted to save what fruit she could from the sand, but she couldn't help but feel like the mood was officially ruined.

* * *

"Dude, you promised you wouldn't interfere. That's why Sam let you come." Quil reminded, giving Jacob a stern look as he tried to move him a little farther down the beach. He noticed that the sky had darkened and small droplets of rain had started to fall, prickling his arms.

"Like I wasn't going to come," Jacob scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"We could've watched from afar," Quil reminded. "As wolves. Now she definitely knows something is up."

"Why? We just happened to be here—"

"And happened to jealously throw a football at her date—"

"I am _not _jealous."

Quil gave Jacob a disbelieving look.

"You know we can see in each other's heads?" Quil grinned evilly. "And from last night's patrol, I remember one very vivid scenario of you wanting to rip off Simon Hote's arms and use them as bookshelves."

"Just because I don't like him that much doesn't mean I'm jealous. I just think he should keep his hands to himself if he wants them to remain attached to his body."

Quil laughed, fighting the urge to tackle Jacob's lying ass to the ground.

"Fine. Whatever you need to believe for now. But don't come crying to me when they're married and you're miserable."

He'd hit a nerve there, and Jacob's jaw tensed so hard Quil wouldn't be surprised if his teeth had ground down an inch.

Just as Jacob was ready to throw him into the ocean, Quil's phone began vibrating in his pocket. He knew Jake could hear it, and paused whatever mean thing he was about to say or do, watching Quil answer the call.

"Hello?"

"Quil? It's Emily. Sam's out with everybody. They smell the vampire again. He said to bring Shay here and meet him by Jacob's house."

Quil met Jacob's eyes and saw his entire body go rigid—his hearing was good enough to hear Emily, too.

"We're on our way."

* * *

Simon had dropped her off a minute ago, when the rain had spoiled the end of their perhaps already spoiled date. Simon had become a little sullen after the football incident and then even more at the rain, but he'd tried to remain cheerful on the drive home and had kissed her on the cheek before she ran into the house.

So it wasn't a complete disaster, Shay thought, but it wasn't exactly the best case scenario.

Kicking her sandals aside, Shay only made it a few feet before she heard pounding at her door.

A little startled—she didn't usually get visitors—she pulled the curtain aside to see who was on the porch.

It was not who she expected.

Opening the door slowly, she peered up into chocolate eyes and let confusion overtake her face.

"What—"

"You need to come with me."

Jacob's voice left little room for arguing, but she would anyway.

"Pardon?"

"You need to come with me. Put your shoes on," he said, glancing at her bare toes.

"I don't think we're on the level of friendship for you to order me around with no explanation."

He could be taking her somewhere to murder her, for all she knew.

_He wouldn't hurt you._

Shay wasn't sure what part of her mind made her think that, but she felt surprised by the instant thought, and even more surprised how much her body trusted it to be true. Why did she feel so safe in his presence, even though he was staring at her with panic? When did this change happen, when they'd only been in a truce for two days?

"I can't explain it now," Jacob said, crouching down to grab the sandals she had beside the door. She felt her breath escape her as he gingerly grabbed her foot, sliding her flip flop on. She felt like a confused Cinderella—one whose brain had decided to stop functioning when his skin met her own. "I just need you to trust me."

She stayed silent as he took her other foot, putting on her right shoe. She somehow felt more nervous now than on her entire date with Simon. Her throat grew dry at the thought of his hands being anywhere else on her body.

The boy who'd hated her just days ago was now standing in her doorway, making her feel things she most definitely did not want to feel about him.

"Shay." Her name was a plea on his lips. He was still crouched in front of her, and she fought the urge to put her hands on the sides of his face.

God, what was happening to her?

"Where are we going?" she asked, ashamed of how breathless her voice sounded when she finally found it.

Jacob seemed relieved when she spoke, his shoulders releasing tension as he stood back up, his normal height once again dwarfing her.

"Sam and Emily's."

"And will you tell me there what the hell is going on not just now, but for the past few days?"

He flinched uncomfortably before meeting her eyes.

"Yes."

"I don't know..." she said, crossing her arms. Maybe she shouldn't blindly go with him, he'd think she was just stupid and trusting. She wouldn't so easily forget how he'd treated her until recently. "I just-"

"I'm sorry for this, but we have no time."

Shay didn't have a chance to question what he meant before he was bending over, scooping up her body easily. She let out a yelp as he placed her over his shoulder, slamming the door behind her.


End file.
